


Persona 5: Royal Wind

by Akoman



Series: The Manahverse! [1]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Persona 2, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series, Persona | Revelations Persona, ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ren is Naoya and Maki's son, Some of the characters may be occults, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:14:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 60,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23056804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akoman/pseuds/Akoman
Summary: The craziest mashup in omniversal history!The world is not as it should be.  It is filled with distortion, and annihilation can no longer be avoided. Those who oppose fate and desire change... From time to time, they were referred to as... Trickstars!
Relationships: Persona 1 Protagonist/Sonomura Maki
Series: The Manahverse! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1847794
Kudos: 10





	1. Gilded Lion's Throne

**Author's Note:**

> Multiverses will be updated alongside story. Feel free to comment on my first work.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Refinement equals improvement, am I right?

* * *

_~ DARK ALLEYWAY, MIKAGE-CHO ~_

Since the concept of consciousness gave itself birth, it has been expanding indefinitely as a result of its fluctuating form. Among these universes, many have been born through coincidence or otherworldly tampering. This tale of fantasy and absurdity takes place in Mundus, a realm of fantastic magic that has given birth to more fantastical existences to being.

Nirn, one of the worlds within Mundus, houses **Men, Mer and Beastfolk**. They all possess flesh, a need to eat and sleep and a fairly bipedal physique. The Men are the sturdiest of the three kingdoms, the Mer are the smartest, whilst the Beastfolk are the most adaptive. Among these mortal beings are powerful entities known as gods that have existed prior to Nirn's creation: the Aedra and the Daedra. The Aedra are a group of gods that have sacrificed parts of their essences to form Nirn; the Daedra are the gods that did not partcipate in the creation of Nirn and generally have an infamous reputation than the former. The Aedra would later on be named as the Divines, consisting of the gods, **Akatosh, Arkay, Dibella, Julianos, Kynareth, Mara, Stendarr, Zenithar and Talos** \- the mortal-turned-god.

In the late Fourth Era, an elven extinction event occurred - coupled with the mysterious deaths of the Nine Divines - successfully wiped out 98% of the elven population (with the surviving population being occults), which results in the humans claiming dominion over their world and ushering a new era for Tamriel. For the Daedra, they see an opportunity to ascend the multiversal pantheon and gain more influence from the surviving races, slowly warping their natures to better fit their remade positions.

Back to our story at-hand, **Ren Toudou** is a fleeting young boy hailing from the Volkihar Clan - one of the many vampire clans living in peace amongst other Men. As the only son of the ex-human **Naoya Toudou** and pureblooded vampire **Maki Sonomura** , the dhampir was born into a life of noble though harsh lifestyle of a vampire since they value strength over race.

He has his father's black hair, his mother's crimson eyes and beautifully pale skin. He got his athletically lean built from by his vampiric genes, constant physical training and life-threatening chores; said natural abilities were notably more potent than the pure-blooded because of this.

Ren's dhampir status (which makes him slightly stronger than regular vampires) has earned the frizzy-haired boy a respected yet socially distant reputation in the court. In combat, he is considered one of the aces in dagger-wielding. What the future thief specialized best at, however, was illusion magic. He would use his creative knowledge of spellcraft to prank mean-spirited teachers or his redheaded family friend during P.E, who happens to be named Orthjolf.

The quirky dhampir would have lived a average life, until fate decided he could use some more excitement…

While dashing home late for dinner, he had a rather bizarre encounter with a bald man in a fancy suit. Next to him was an expensive-looking limousine, indicating he's some important figure and most importantly someone you shouldn't mess with. His righteous instincts were screaming to intervene, battling against the logical side of staying away from trouble.

"I-I'll call the police!" The harassed woman shouted. The man only snorted. "Call them all you want! The police are my bitches! They're not gonna take you seriously…"

"The police are my bitches!" How corrupt can this country get? "They're not gonna take you seriously!-"

The sound of a police siren interrupted their midnight rape session. Logically, causing a ruckus such as this would surely attract the neighborhood's attention. In a hurry, the man forced the woman to get in his limo as an effort to escape the fuzz.

"Figures, nobody can just ignore this ruckus you just caused. (*Hics and grabs lady's arm) Get in the car!" The lady resisted him. "Please, don't!" The egghead cruelly backhanded her in retaliation. "Grrr, sluts like you just need to shut your mouths and follow where I steer this country!"

Right at that moment, the young dhampir's cover was blown. "Hmm?! (*Glares at Ren) …What're you looking at?! Get lost! This isn't a show!" The despicable man looks back at the wounded female. "This is all because you're so damn slow! (*Opens car door) Get in the car!"

Finally having enough, Ren used his vampiric agility to get in front of the capeless baldie and instinctively slashed him across the head with his claws, effectively half-blinding him. The man stumbled backwards, before steadying himself by grabbing a nearby lamppost.

"{GENESIS}!"

Out of nowhere, an invisible force slammed itself into Ren's neck, pinning him to a nearby wall. The force could've killed a normal persona on contact, however, Ren's regenerative abilities trifled over certain death at this unlucky moment. Still, that's gotta hurt.

"You're lucky we Standsona-users heal faster than the average human," The man snarled in drunken rage, his wounds still bright red and bleeding. "You," He sternly glares at the woman. "Make this statement to the cops 'This kid suddenly attacked me.' Got it?"

Before the helpless woman could say anything, the baldie shushed her with his fingertips. "Say anything else, and your existence is forfeit. Are you one to take that risk?"

The trapped Ren finally spoke up through his bloodied neck and larynx. "Fuck… grr… you!" The struggling Ren sucked in some air, and proceeded boldly spit a stream of fresh blood onto the man's shiny forehead, which served to infuriate him further.

"That's it! You're done for," The invisible force around the vampire's neck tightens. "You're gonna learn what happens when you cross me…"

Then out of nowhere, two policemen arrived at the scene.

' _Fucking finally…'_ If only the poor kid knew…

"Excuse me, folks. We received a complaint about an argument here. Is something the matter?" He wore a jolted look when he noticed the bald man with blood stains on his head, ruining that blinding shine of his. "Oh! It's you, sir."

The man in black stared at the visibly shaking woman. "So, what happened? Explain it to the good officers."

The female stayed silent for a while, before finally mustering up her corrupted courage, spewing, "This young man suddenly attacked him… He shoved this gentleman to the ground. And this man… got injured…"

"W-why…?!" glared the boy pinned onto a wall. The woman began to tear up, no thanks to the terrifying glare the boy sent him.

The man wiped the stain from his forehead. "It's as she says. Also… make sure my name doesn't come up. At all. You understand what that means, correct?"

"Hey, cuff 'em!" shouted one of the more burly policemen. The diminutive one only replied with a simple, quick "Understood."

Before the dhampir could resist arrest, he felt the invisible force crush all of his ankles and throat at the same time, preventing any blood or screams from leaving him anytime soon. The pain was so excruciating, but he'll survive like always.

While semi-conscious from the overwhelming shock to his brain, he overheard the cops saying:

"B-but sir, he's-"

"He's a criminal. Now shut up, and drag him to the car or be relieved of duty faster than you can think, scrawny."

"Y-yes, sir..."

That was all he remembered about the traumatic event that'll set off his 1-year probation in the human continent of Tokyo.


	2. New City, New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren gets a visit from his parents, has to use a fake surname to avoid political backlash and live in an attic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own JoJo's Bizarre Adventure or Shin Megami Tensei: Persona Series.
> 
> Author's Notes: For Persona 1 to 3 characters, they'll be having the 'Muscle Warrior' physique to make it give it some JoJo-esque. For 4 to 5 characters, they'll be having the 'Fashion Fighter' physique.

* * *

_~ JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, INABA, EVENING, FRIDAY, APRIL 8TH, 2033 ~_

A fully healed, half-naked Ren hangs above the ceiling of his jail cell. Beneath him are the unconscious bodies of deranged psychos who had the gall to assault him. Ridiculously, nobody seemed to bat even an eye to him. Either they were afraid of him or they really didn't miss his victims.

Suddenly, a bold warden approached the boy in rags. He bangs the bars on the concrete cell, shouting, "Wake up. You have a visitor."

Growling irritatingly, he jumped back onto the floor and left his cell to visit the mystery guest.

* * *

_~ VISITATION BOOTH, JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, INABA, EVENING, FRIDAY, APRIL 1ST, 2033 ~_

The young dhampir finally arrived at the visitation booth in his tightly sealed silver sarcophagus, wrapped in chains to keep him from massacring everyone in juvie. Luckily, most of them were just like him: victims of shitty adults who lust for power and wish to drown themselves in their own wealth. Or petty thieves who stole from the wrong neighborhood and got sent to this terrible place.

Back to the matter at hand, there lies on the stool Naoya Toudou, the human (now full-fledged vampire) father of Ren. He is a Nightmaster Vampire and secret agent of the Nanjo Foundation.

"Hey, kid. Sorry we couldn't get rid of your sentence back then…" The apologetic man said.

As a man of 36 years old, Naoya possesses an incredibly muscular build, towering over even the guards and wardens. He wore a simple vest with a purple outline and an array of butterflies flying to the left shoulder from the lower right. He wore a pair of jeans from Levi's exclusively, alongside a pair of violet slip-on sneakers. On his left ear is a black earring carved from polished obsidian.

"It's not your fault, dad. I was the one who pulled the trigger anyways," He yawns loudly from his sarcophagus. "Guess that's what you get for playing hero…"

"What you did wasn't a crime. No matter what events that may transpire, we'll always love you, my little pumpkin."

Maki Sonomura had still retained her young maiden charm. Her bob cut paired well with her red ribbon back when she was in high school. That can also be said to her white coat with gray intersecting lines, black leggings and white boots.

The dhampir sighed. "It was just _one_ time, mom."

"Your most hilarious time," A shit-eating grin formed around Naoya's face, irritating the trapped protagonist even further. "You're lucky I love both of you. But I thought probation laws state we can't see eye-to-eye."

His vampiric parents looked at each other before looking back at him. "About that… we had to arrange a huge favor. We just wanted to say our goodbyes?" Naoya said, his face sorrowful and present with guilt.

"Not a smart move."

"Your mother insisted."

Ren chuckled for a brief moment, but it quickly died off and was replaced with exhaustion. "I… guess it doesn't matter now, does it? This society is rotten to its very core, where the meek are forced to be cattle for the strong. Right now, people like me keep getting treated like dirt, leading us to become desperate, thus forcing us to commit crimes, only to be lasso'd into the joke that is our modern justice system. This is the end for me, huh…?"

"Enough." A single word from Maki silenced the muttering dhampir. "We Volkihars never surrender to dire circumstances such as this, do we? You of all people should know that, Ren," The psychiatrist revealed her dangerously sharp fangs. "And worry not, my son. Once justice has been brought to our clan, that man will become mush for the thralls. Be good and stay safe, okay?"

Both men gulped and replied "Yes, ma'am" to the matriarch of the family. After having a lovely chat about probation life and the potential issues Ren alone might face, the Toudous left after seeing their chained son return to the messy halls of the juvenile center.

Outside the juvenile center stands two individuals. A diminutive old British-looking woman in a beach blue elderly jacket and a Caucasian-looking man in a casual t-shirt and shorts set. Each of them blocking their way.

"Can we help you?" asked the on-guard couple.

The elderly woman grasped her hands together, as if performing a magic trick. A crimson metallic locket materialized on her cold palms. The male vampire took and opened it, revealing its contents: two totemic rocks of different appearances and a sharp ritual tool next to it.

"What the hell is this?" asked the confused Naoya. "An unavoidable encounter awaits your child, First Champion of Philemon." The man next to the older woman replied.

The couple widened their eyes. "Is this Philemon's doing?"

The duo snickered. "Not entirely. Let's just say… we know each other enough," She faces her face against the bewildered couple. "By the way, when you see Philemon, tell 'em ' **Indar** says hi!' Hahahahahaha…!" With that said, Indar's body faded into cold mist, nowhere to be seen.

"She… does that. Anyway, my name's Asha. Ciao!" The man ran off into the darkness.

Before they did anything else, two recurring figures materialized behind the couple's backs.

"I sense strong blood magic in these artifacts. Are you sure it's viable to give them to Young Master, my fellow pharaoh?" {AMON-RA} asked his master. "Whenever Philemon gives us random shit, it means major shit's about to go down again."

"What does this mean, fair maiden?" Maki was in deep thinking after her other half {VERDANDI}'s question. "I wish I knew, {VERDANDI}..."

* * *

_~ TOKYO, AFTERNOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2026 ~_

"GAH!"

Ren found himself on a train heading to Shibuya, the place where he'll spend his year-long probation at.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with us today-"_

Ren looks at his surroundings. The concrete buildings. The large mass of people. It was an otherworldly experience for someone who's spent his entire childhood in the alps.

" _We'll be arriving at Shibuya shortly. This will be the last stop for-"_

The dhampir looked up towards the ceiling, which was covered with headlines regarding the latest mental shutdown and psychotic breakdown incidents.

" _Please transfer here for all subway lines. The doors to your left will open-"_

* * *

_~ FLASHBACK ~_

The screams of a woman and the grunts of a middle-aged man can be heard in the background.

"Please help!"

A young man then slashed his claws at the man, causing him to fall down and land his head onto the nearby fence. The assaulted woman only yelled out a short gasp.

"Damn brat! I'll sue!"

Sirens can be heard as the boy was dragged into a police car.

* * *

_~ TOKYO, AFTERNOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2016 ~_

"What? Are you for real?!" The gossiping of a teenage girl snapped Ren out of his trance. "A mental shutdown?"

"It's all true!" The ponytail replied. "To a person, though? That's gotta be a joke!" They were so focused on the topic, they didn't even sense someone staring at them. "You really love all that occult stuff, do you?"

Ren sighed, _'What the hell is wrong with this country?'_

* * *

_~ SHIBUYA STREETS, TOKYO, MORNING, SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2026 ~_

The dhampir continues to walk through the streets with his eyes on his phone, trying to reach his destination. After a short timeskip, Ren finally managed to reach Station Square. Finally arriving at the crowded Shibuya Crossing, a malevolent-looking app appeared on his phone.

He did what every suspicious teenager did best. Pressing or interacting with dangerous-looking apps.

With multiple seemingly unsuccessful clicks, all noise around him had ceased. It was like the app stopped time itself.

Ridiculous.

' _So this is why mom told me not to skip breakfast, huh…'_

He looked around until a pillar of azure flames erupted from the middle of the crowd. The pillar gradually grew more intense, before shaping itself into the form of a winged being with a fedora-looking head.

' _DEFINITELY shouldn't have skipped breakfast…'_

A maliciously SMOOTH face appeared in the figure's 'head'. It disperses, revealing what seemed to be a doppelganger of Ren himself. Albeit with golden irises and a bloodthirsty grin on his face, revealing his supernaturally sharp canines. Exclusively for blood sucking!

In a flash of blinding light, the dhampir had once again snapped out of his illusionary trance.

' _What was I- Oh right, creepy-ass app.'_ He drags the time-stopping app into the trash bin. _'I just hope it won't return to transport me into some alternate realm where human thoughts become real or something.'_

* * *

_~ YONGEN-JAYA, TOKYO, AFTERNOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2026 ~_

After a series of streets and turns, Ren finally arrives at Yongen-Jaya. Not knowing where to go, he decides to ask that rude-looking officer whose parents had probably abandoned him outside a police station.

Hmm, where did that come from?

"Excuse me, sir," As expected, the officer turned his impatient face towards the pale brat. "What do you want?"

"Address of Sojiro Sakura's place, please." The officer scoffed. "What am I, a dispensing machine? Fine. It's in an alley a bit further back. Take a right after that apartment with the stairs."

Having finally reached his caretaker's house, Ren clicked the doorbell.

…

…No response.

Great. He's gone out.

"Looks like no one's home…"

Ren looks at the deliveryman who had just arrived. "You know him, sir?"

"Huh? Oh yeah… Sakura-san's usually at his cafe around this time. Leblanc's in the back alley so I should be going now…"

Leblanc: coffee and curry, huh? Time for Ren to charm his new dad with his dashing looks!

* * *

_~ CAFE LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, TOKYO, AFTERNOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2026 ~_

The atmosphere in the cafe was… 1900-ish. From the stool to the ceiling, everything looked antique and strangely nostalgic. Inside was an elderly couple sitting on a table and another adult who is reading the newspaper on a stool near the counter.

And a strangely decent TV that somehow fits with the environment. I wonder what's on it today-

"A public transit bus was driven down an opposite lane with its customers still in it!"

And there goes the mood.

"The citizens can't live in peace if this keeps up."

How frightening." Muttered an elderly male sitting on one of the couches.

"What could be going on? Didn't something similar happen just the other day?" Said the elderly female opposite to him. Daisuke Jigen casually sitting on his stool, however, reading his newspaper. "Vertical is… the name of a shellfish used for farming pearls…"

"Mussel or oyster. 6 down across." The dhampir jokingly answered.

"6 down across… That works-" The vampire manager's eyes widened. "...Oh, right. They did say that was today."

"We'll be going now. The payment's on the table." The elderly man mentioned.

"Thanks for coming."

"This place is in the back alley, so there's no worries of a car crashing in here."

The manager furrowed his eyebrows. "Hey, don't jinx me like that. It's none of my concern."

"Haha, see you next time then."

After the couple left, the man let out a long yawn. "Four hours just for a single cup of joe. At least it beats those quick-grind coffee machines."

Ignoring his suggestion, the man suspiciously stares at him. "So, you're Ren Amamiya then?"

"Yes, Sakura-san."

"I'm the guy." The fanged man chuckled. "I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you're the one, huh?"

"So I guess you're great-grandpa Harkon's friend?"

Sojiro sighed. "Yeah, we were gambling buddies back then. Guy saved me from my past for a long time; and don't worry, we're both from the same clan." He turns to the stairs. "Well, not that that matters… Follow me."

* * *

_~ ATTIC, CAFE LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, TOKYO, MORNING, SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2026 ~_

"This is your room."

A dusty attic filled with heaps of trash and dust bunnies? Ren was in slight disbelief, but he's grateful that he won't be sleeping on the streets or on the concrete grounds.

"I'll at least give you sheets for your bed." spoke a stiff Sojiro. Ren only replied, "Large space, my own study desk… It's a bit too good for me, if I must say."

"You're a bit too polite to be a punk, aren't you? Whatever. It's up to you to clean things up." The man begins to leave. "I'll be leaving after I lock up each day. You'll be alone all night, but don't do anything stupid. I'll throw you out if you cause any trouble."

Ren obediently nodded.

"Oh, and uh… I got the gist of your situation." Sojiro said from the stairs. "You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, then sued you, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"This is what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between two adults. You did injure him, yeah?" Sojiro interrogated.

Ren played with his sharp claws. "…Sorry."

"And now that you've got a criminal record, temporarily had your nobility status revoked and were expelled from your high school. The court's ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved."

_'Begrudgingly.'_

"In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass," The manager harshly lied. "It's best you not say anything unnecessary. I am in the restaurant business, you know."

"Calling this place a 'restaurant' is pushing it, but hey, you're the boss." Ren joked, unaware of the consequences of doing so.

The suited man growled. "Watch it, punk. Behave yourself for the year, and your probation will be lifted."

"Understood."

The bearded man sighed, "Good luck, then; and don't forget you'll be back in juvie if you cause any problems. Alright? We'll be going to Shujin tomorrow."

"W-wait, the school's name is Shujin?"

Hearing enough wisecracks for today, Sojiro decides to join in the fun because why not? "You tell me. Even if the main building looks like a prison, it's the only place that'll accept somebody like you."

"They're probably desperate." The dhampir guessed.

"I doubt that," He points at a cardboard box. "Your luggage arrived earlier; I left them over there."

Before the café manager left, he sighed, "What a waste of my Sunday…"

Afterwards, the only person left in the dusty attic is little Ren himself. He went to check on his luggage, which contained his clothes and daily necessities from his faraway parents. He decided to fit himself with his fashionable black jacket, grey shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans.

He looks at the disarrayed attic with undisguised disgust. "Well, time to clean."

* * *

_~ ATTIC, CAFE LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, TOKYO, EVENING, SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2026 ~_

By the time the dhampir had finished cleaning the attic, it was already nighttime. Footsteps of an old man were coming from the stairs. The source revealed itself to be a wide-eyed Sojiro. "What the heck? I heard you making all sorts of clunky noises up here but I didn't think you'd be cleaning."

"A clean place is a comfy place," The boy reasoned. The man nods at him.

He looks at the cleaned room, seemingly impressed by the lack of cobwebs, disorganized junk on the floor and dust on the sofa. "But you did do a fine job tidying this place alone."

He tossed the dhampir an IV bag containing a thirst-quenching amount of blood - courtesy of the Volkihar Clan. "Why don't you get some rest tonight? Other than going out hunting in the streets, which I won't allow you to do, you don't have anything better to do, right?"

The man twirls a key ring around his pale fingers. Where did that even come from? "I'm going to close up shop and get out of here myself. I won't be the one looking after you even if us vampires can't get sick, you got that?"

Seeing the boy nod, the manager left without saying another word, leaving our protagonist to ponder on his actions…

* * *

_~ WEIRD FACTS ~_

_Vampires are nocturnal creatures with varying weaknesses and strengths throughout the vast multiverse. They are biologically similar to humans in comparison to all other occults, only differing from appearance in terms of eye color, teeth shape, physical strength and passive ability to use blood magic._

_Through the consumption of life essence (blood), vampires grow stronger with each bite and slurp; their powers and resistances are amplified through the newly certified power ranks (lower to higher): Leech, Minor Blood, Greater Blood, Baron/Baroness, Vampire Lord , Nightmaster, Empress/Emperor and finally Bloodmonger. The new hierarchy system only become official after pantheons such as the Chaos Gods interfered with Earth's god-politics._

_Hybrids in vampire clans are lightly shunned at first for corrupting the bloodline until they have displayed their strength to the higher-ups. Since the discovery of power, many vampire convicts began illegally trafficking human mates for their hybrid genes, and hunting operations are on large to this day._

_It is also possible for a vampire to have hybrid offspring. Such cases are werepyres, dhampirs, blood faeries etc._


	3. Beginning of All Things Magical!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The magic begins! OW!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These AUs are so much FUN! Don't mind if I do!

* * *

_~ A SPACE BETWEEN MIND AND MATTER ~_

The rattling of chains woke the sleeping beauty. He was surprised to find himself inside a velvet prison cell. Including a hangeds sleeping plank and a steel toilet like the ones he saw back at juvie. Other than that, he was also wearing prison robes. Alongside shackles on each of his hands and legs (chained ball included).

' _Where the hell am I…?'_

A girly chuckle quickly drew his attention as two diminutive girls in velvet warden suits. Both of them have unnerving golden eyes, platinum blonde hair, and hats with letters of 'O-Y-O-O' and 'X-M-R-N'. The one on the left had a long braid reaching to her shoulders, while the other tied hair buns on each side.

' _And out of the blues, came two lolis in boots.'_ Ren spoke in his mind.

Still disoriented, the boy in rags limped towards the chained doors. The two wardens moved sideways, revealing a man with bloodshot eyes, an eerie grin and a nose of epic proportions.

"Trickster, welcome to my Velvet Room."

Not understanding anything, Ren kept banging at the cell door, attempting to escape this realistic dream. Until an electrified baton forced him to back off. "Quiet down, Inmate!"

"Do not worry. The real you is currently fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream." The braided loli stated.

"You're in the presence of our master. Stand up straight!" The loli with hair buns shouted at the prisoner.

A deep snicker echoed through the dream prison. "My my, that came out wrong. Welcome. I am delighted to make your acquaintance," The old man tapped his desk repeatedly. "This is a space between mind and matter, dream and reality, back alley drug deal and Satanic ritual."

_'Satanic what-'_

"This is a room that only those who are bound to the 'contract' may enter. Oh, where are my manners? I am Igor, master of this realm. Remember it well."

"Why am I here? What the hell's a 'contract' and why am I-" Igor held out a finger. "Calm yourself, trickster. I summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well."

_'No point in trying to get out for now… Better get some info out of this old man.'_

Serious mode ON. "What important matters?"

"Before we get to that," Igor looked around the prison from his desk. "This is quite a surprise. This room represents the state of your own heart. To think you'd manifest a prison here. You truly are a prisoner of 'fate'." Igor's maniacal grin faded a bit. "There's no mistake that ruin awaits your kind…"

The panting dhampir was unamused. "Ruin?"

"I speak of the end of everything. However, there is a way to oppose such fates. You must be 'rehabilitated'. Towards freedom, I mean. That is your only means to avoid ruin."

Igor moved his head towards the 'Inmate'. "Let me ask you this: do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of this world? To avoid ruin and defy fate itself?"

The dhampir made a confident smirk. "This is gonna be a very exciting year, isn't it?" Igor returned his smile. "Emphasis on 'very'. Allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation."

The two wardens stepped towards the prisoner. "Ah crap, I forgot to introduce the others. The one on the right's Caroline, and Justine is the one on the left. They'll be your wardens for the year being."

"Awww, they're so widdle 'n cuddly!" Mocked the dhampir, leaving the two wardens incredibly flustered. Especially Caroline.

Caroline, offended, harshly slams her baton onto the barred gate, causing the dhampir to stumble back out of shock. "WATCH YOUR TONGUE, INMATE!"

"We are to protect inmates and collaborate with them. Nothing more." Ren could see a flush of pink on the quiet one's face.

Holding his hands up, Ren made what can be easily called the most punch-able shit-eating grin. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Igor excuses himself, saying, "I'll explain the roles of these cinnamon rolls at the next meeting."

"The sun is rising fast and your nocturnal prowess wanes… You'll be waking up soon. Don't get too stressed and enjoy your rest."

A loud chime signaled the end of their fateful meeting. "Time's up, Inmate! Now get some sleep. You're gonna need it…"

Everything faded to black again…

* * *

_~ ATTIC, CAFE LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

It's morning and the delinquent had finished dressing up for his fated school meeting. He sat on his mattress-bed, pondering on Igor and what he meant by ruin. Oh, and there were those cute little loli wardens as well.

"Looks like you're up."

A familiar voice approached the awoken dhampir. "Well then, let's go introduce ourselves properly to the staff about your transfer. The school you're attending will be in the Aoyama district."

"It'll cost you a bit to ride the train there, and the route transfers are a pain in the ass. I'll drive you there, but just for today. Let's go." said the fedora-wearing Sojiro. Looks good on him, if I have to say so.

Sojiro grunted, "The car's getting cranky, but it's still reliable, mind you."

The two began to leave for school. "Sheesh… Men aren't usually allowed in my passenger seat."

"Should I feel revered?" Ren joked in a sarcastic tone.

"Can it. Now move."

* * *

_~ SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

The duo had arrived at the school gates. Before they could enter, the grouchy man gave Ren a heads up. "Do me a favor and behave yourself, okay?"

"I'm not thirsty, if that's what you're thinking." The dhampir deadpanned. "Plus, I have standards. Almost everyone in there smells like bastard."

"Good. And don't get me wrong, I don't care what happens to you. Just don't tarnish my reputation as a café owner, okay?" The boss muttered.

"Got it." Ren replied.

* * *

_~ PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2026 ~_

As Ren and his guardian entered the room, they saw a tried-looking teacher and a guy who looked like he had severe type-2 diabetes. He can even hear the intense vibrations of the buttons keeping the shirt together. Seriously, this man must have to eat a pizza as big as a house wall a day to sustain himself!

After Sojiro (a.k.a. reincarnation of Daisuke Jigen) finishes signing the papers, the fatass didn't hesitate to threaten him with expulsion. However, Ren isn't fooled by petty faces such as his.

"To reiterate, just so we're clear, you will immediately be expelled if you cause any problems. Honestly, I hesitated in accepting someone like you, but there were some circumstances on our side… You might have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, bur you will behave yourself here. If you are thrown out of the school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind."

' _Ah yes, to be constantly reminded of my unjust upbringing. I am very grateful indeed, master.'_ Ren mocked the tub of lard in his mind.

The dhampir adjusted his glasses. "Yes, sir."

"Good," He turned his head to the messy-haired teacher. "This is the teacher in charge of my class."

"I'm Sadayo Kawakami," She handed Ren a small card, which he quickly read and hid it in his pockets. "Here's your student ID. Be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office. And if you cause any problems, I won't be able to protect you."

"No worries, ma'am. I don't cause trouble for people who don't deserve it."

"Saying that only makes you sound more dangerous." The principal lectured. He tried to sound intimidating, but the lack of skill or experience eliminated any trace of seriousness altogether.

Said principal turned to face his class teacher. "And sorry to burden you with this task. It was a sudden transfer and your class was the only one that had an opening."

"If you're done explaining things, mind if we get going?" The impatient café owner boldly complained. "I got a store to get back to."

"My apologies, Sakura-san." The obese principal politely spoke. "Keep a close eye on him, will you? Trouble outside would surely scar our school's reputation."

"Well, I'll be sure to have a serious chat about the situation he's in."

"1-year probation for assault?" added the bored dhampir.

"See? He gets it." The manager spoke.

Kawakami looks at the supposed delinquent. "Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I'll show you to your classroom."

Bowing to his class teacher and principal, the two vampires left the room quietly and smoothly.

A doubtful Kawakami looked at her superior, asking, "Is he really a delinquent? He's too polite and scar-less to be a delinquent."

"I have some doubts too, Miss Kawakami. Given the circumstances he's in, however, we cannot make assumptions yet. For now, we can only monitor his status to make sure he's bothering no one."

_'What's this world coming to…?'_

* * *

_~ ENTRANCE, GROUND FLOOR, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

The coffee brewer and the young bishie were about to leave the school. Until Sojiro stopped walking for a second, scratching the back of his head with visible distress.

"They're treating you like some kinda nuisance. That's what it means to have a past that follows you wherever you go." The wise barista said.

"Their opinions mean little to me, sir. No need to stress over me." assured the boy to his vampiric guardian.

"Just to be clear, again, if you get expelled, I won't hesitate to kick you out. Got it?" warned the coarse man.

The dhampir sighed again. "Yes, boss."

"Hmph," The boss huffed.

"School never changes, huh?"

He turns to the exit. "Come on, we're going home."

* * *

_~ SCHOOL GARDEN, GROUND FLOOR, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

Sadayo is walking across the school garden with her materials. Coincidentally, another teacher with an athletic build greeted her with plea.

"Hey, Miss Kawakami." The huge man greeted.

' _Great. This prevy asshole again…'_

"Hi, Mr. Kamoshida." exhaustedly sighed the teacher in yellow.

"What a troublesome situation you're in. That and the new transfer student." Kamoshida spoke. To which Kawakami replied, "I know… Can't believe they pushed someone with a juvie record on me. Male teachers would be more suited for these things…"

"Why would someone like that be admitted here?" Kamoshida sighed.

' _Like you're any better.'_

"Who knows? It's Burger-Boy's decision, saying it's for improving the school's reputation."

"I thought my volleyball team would've been enough to cover that." confidently boasted the sports teacher.

"That's certainly true." replied the teacher.

' _Not.'_

"Be careful, okay?" He stretched his arms. "Then again, if anything were to happen, I'd kick a student like him out in no time."

"To be honest, he didn't seem like one when we met at the principal's office. Then again, I still hope he doesn't come to school or anything."

Kawakami mentally slapped herself for that. "Still, that isn't something I should be saying as a teacher…"

"Take care, then. I'm off to practice now." said the burly gym teacher.

"Oh right, major tournaments coming up, right?"

Kamoshida snickered upon mention. "Hehe, getting shoved with high expectations from others is quite a problem in itself. We'll have to work hard to make up for the track team too."

_'You could've alleviated all of this if you haven't broken Sakamoto's leg, jerk.'_

As the arrogant volleyball coach left her sights, Kawakami sighed, "Why'd it have to be my class?"

* * *

_~ DREAM (?) ~_

Ren found himself lying on a circular altar carved with a large, flat rune depicting the Volkihar clan.

Beyond the altar was a land swallowed by scorching flame and a crystalline structure in blood red can be seen in front of him, towering the land. The structure resembles an accumulated mass of skulls and bones, effectively forming a mountain of death. A staircase of perfectly arranged skulls lead up to the peak.

Deciding to ascend the tower, the dhampir quickly walked his way up to the top. When he did, a throne on a platform overlooking the blazing land and a few of its demonic inhabitants.

As he moved towards it, a shelled arm grabbed the throne. Shortly after, a tall being covered in fire brick fur rose from its stoned throne. It had antlers pointing at the orange skies, a flesh-less face with patches of fur aligning near its eye sockets, nasal and jaw. Its tall and athletic physique, alongside its goat-like legs, were also covered in fur.

On its chest was a necklace consisting of three metallic skulls of dark green color. It wore a fur skirt which covers its non-existent crotch. On its waist, a mace with hinged, spiked blades possessing the same metallic colors as the skulls on its necklace can be seen. Ren could sense an immeasurable amounts of magic leaking out of the enchanted weapon.

The figure, noticing the confused yet unshaken dhampir, slowly walked towards it.

"Hello, 7th descendant of Valerica Volkihar. We finally meet after long suspense." It spoke in a very Russian accent.

_'Great. As if the Velvet Room wasn't enough…'_

The boy, still in his school uniform, eyed Aeshma suspiciously. "Who are you and why am I here?"

The rage demon clapped his hands together before taking a deep breath. "Aeshma - Daeva of rage at service. Short story: am first child of long line of gods. Human prolonged existence at risk; same as other kind."

He displays a holographic image of a locket containing Arabic writings and a totem with Aeshma's face on it. "Have sent you package. When you take, spill blood on surface to summon me into real world. We then will talk business."

"When will I get the package, and WHY should I let a demon who represents anger issues into our world? Aren't werewolves, mind flayer yakuza, ancient Nordic tombs and infighting gods bad enough for our world?"

"If business offer refused, world will die and new war begin. Many vampire might die too." Aeshma explained calmly.

The prince scoffs, "Yeah, and Alduin the World-eater is returning…"

"Alduin dead forever. No worry," Aeshma ensured. "In coming days, you will face perilous journey ahead. Bad enemies wish to enslave mankind with tyrant's fist. As you are dragged into unjust game, you have high chance to die which is unsatisfactory, because it mean everyone lose mind. You sympathize, yes?"

Ren nodded.

"Good… Artifact should arrive at your cafe by…" He pulls out a phone from his skeletal jaw, checking the delivery time. "2 to 3 days if FedEx not lie. Now return to your world…"

Aeshma casually finger guns his new guest. "We meet again very soon… _друг_ (friend)."

SNAP!

Ren soon felt a powerful force pull him back into his own reality..

* * *

_~ ROAD TO AOYAMA-ITCHOME TO YONGEN-JAYA, AFTERNOON, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

The young dhampir slowly awoke from his nap and dream with a meek GASP!

It is almost evening. Vehicles were barricading the highway without any further progress seen by Sojiro or the young Volkihar descendant. The barista continues to impatiently tap his fingers onto the steering wheel, a pink fedora covering his forehead.

"Traffic's not moving at all…" Sojiro muttered angrily. Looking at the recently awakened dhampir, he spoke, "You're taking the train starting tomorrow."

After an awkward silence between the two, Sojiro broke the tension between them. "So how was school? I mean, think you can manage?"

"Looks fun-" He stopped himself when his caretaker gave him a stern gaze. "Uh, I meant easy…"

"…Do you even understand your situation?"

"Crystal. First time getting caught 'n all that."

The manager looked at him with brief sympathy before donning the Daisuke Jigen look to be more on-guard. "Still, you were expelled once already. To think you'd re-enroll at a different one. It's not like anyone will be sympathetic to you."

"Meh, not essential." Ren casually muttered.

Sighing, Sojiro reached for a cigarette. "With that attitude, you might as well be your dead granduncle… What a troublesome kid I've taken in…"

"So… why did you take me in again?" Ren was irritated by the old man's nagging.

"I was asked to do it, and I just… happened to agree to it. For an added bonus, our higher-ups paid me a hefty sum. It's probably because of your royal bloodline or whatever." Sojiro briefly explained.

The radio coincidentally played another message regarding the subway timetable being greatly affected all across the- "Another accident? No wonder it's so crowded. There's been a trend of those lately."

"What do you think is the cause of all this?" Ren curiously asked.

"Don't know, don't care." The man returned to his wheels, constantly grumbling incomprehensibly.

* * *

_~ SOME RANDOM SUBWAY STATION, NOON, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

A man holding a silver briefcase wearing a pair of sunglasses, a tiger skin trench coat, black gloves and business trends. His twin bangs were so long, they almost reached his waist.

"The inbound train will shortly arrive at platform 1."

He tugged his expensive-looking coat and walked towards the line-

Until the train zoomed past him at alarmingly dangerous speeds, causing him to land on the marble platform.

* * *

_~ SPEEDING TRAIN, NOON, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

The passengers were panicking, fear and worry in every breath they take. One of them urgently rushed to the train driver, banging at the door. "Hey! What's going on!?"

The driver at the controls, however, was unconscious. Unaware of his surroundings; black ooze leaking out of his mouth; bulging veins and empty eyes…

He was dead.

Shortly after, the train begins to lose balance and tilts sideways, and its passengers were being flung against the walls like ragdolls. Even with the obviously loud shrieking, however, the passengers at the next station weren't even aware of the upcoming catastrophe.

An officer near the track was surveying for the train. "I don't have a visual yet. Wait, I see it… OH FU-"

With incredible velocity and force, the train's hinges crashed against the platform, effectively crumbling the marble floor.

By the time the train stopped entirely, the damage was massive. Nobody inside the train moved, either the fact that they've been hit in the head or drowned in their own blood. It was a gore-fest waiting inside the jack-o-box that is the crashed train.

* * *

_~ RANDOM SUBWAY STATION, NOON, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

Sunglasses stood up, patting the dust off his bottom. He was fortunate that the casualties weren't at his station.

A golden man phased out of the man's back. Its shoulders were fused with black vanguard fashion rocks, lining with red lines of glowing heat. Its black feet and arms were blocky and robotic, giving the illusion of a shining statue with robotic enhancements.

Nobody seemed to pay him any mind.

' _What in Zeus' beard was that?!'_

"I wish I knew," The man checks his watch and hands his phone to his ghastly partner. "{PROMETHEUS}, would you kindly message the Suou brothers of our misfortunate delay?"

Without a word, the being named {PROMETHEUS} began to type away.

* * *

_~ SIU DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, AFTERNOON, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

The SIU director and a silver-haired woman were watching the screen displaying the subway accident. The tension was so thick, a regular kitchen knife can cut out a piece of it.

"That was direct footage from the accident. According to the police, the engineer's life was not endangered, despite his injuries. After question, even he could not explain his high speed when approaching the station. No further comments were made. Police are still looking for a plausible motive…"

The SIU director on his seat sighed, "It's less of an operating accident and more of a crime of the company and the government. Site inspectors apparently reported all of this six months ago - the deterioration of the tracks and the ATC. It seems the railway company and the Transport Ministry have both turned a blind eye to the truth."

He continued. "There's no way they can hide. This'll go all the way to the top."

"Now onto our main story: with this derailment accident, as well as other recent incidents of unknown motive, concern is spreading among the general public. Just what could be causing a change so suddenly in these people?…"

"You think everything's linked, correct?" No response from her. "...Hmm. We should get a drink afterwards. Haven't done that with you since forever."

"Thank you, sir, but I have another meeting to attend," She bowed to the old man. "I must be going."

The woman left the room in an elegant matter, leaving the director alone to ponder on his desk.

* * *

_~ CAFE LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

Thanks to Sojiro's bugging, the dhampir was forced to walk back to the café. Alone. It wasn't even that far! Sure, they were at Ikejiri-Ōhashi, but it wouldn't kill the old fart to tell him to wait like a sitting duck. Ren wasn't one to pursue luxurious living, but he does have some standards for things…

Before he could grab a drink, a familiar fedora-wearing man walked into the cafe.

"We're closed-" He quickly silenced himself when he saw his guardian at the front door. He replied with, "It's me. And um… sorry for my harsh treatment back at the gas station."

The man looked at the wide-eyed dhampir eyeing him with suspicion. "Are you really my caretaker, or are you just some really professional shapeshifter?"

"Don't joke about those freaks. Here," He handed Ren a small book in a leathery cover. "It's your probation diary. There's no special limitations on what you do in probation besides following the law, that is. If this wasn't obvious enough, I'm obligated to supervise you to report your daily activities-"

The ringing sound of a phone interrupted the grouchy man's warnings. Grouchiness still pastered on his face, he answered it. "Hey, what's up?"

Nod. "I'm about to leave right now,"

Two nods. "Don't worry. I'll be there in no time."

Click.

"A date this late? Are you up to something, Mr. Guardian?" Ren taunted wearing his trademark shit-eating grin.

"Yeah, her last name's 'Of your business'; first name 'None'."

"Hardy har har. I'll make sure to leave a few good comments…" Ren cartoonishly winked at Sojiro, who simply deadpanned at his sarcastic behavior. "…If you let me have a midnight snack."

"Fine. Just don't get caught or anything. Especially since demons and your clan's operatives are having an underworld war," He tilts his fedora. "Welp, I'll be going. Wake up early and I'll whip up something nice for you."

"Appreciate it, boss."

The raven-haired dhampir quickly went to bed as soon as his bearded guardian locked the doors.

* * *

_~ ATTIC, CAFE LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2033 ~_

Ren lied about the sleeping part. He had spent the last two hours catching rats in his room. Why, you ask? For a quick snack, of course.

While looking up the latest vampiric news (including the mental shutdowns), the dhampir noticed a familiar, red-eyeball app from his first day at Shibuya.

' _Again…? Doesn't matter, BEGONE THOT!'_ He quickly deleted the creepy-looking app again. Rubbing the back of his head, he wondered, _'Looks like mom was right… I am different from the other kids…'_

The dhampir slept soundly, for the voices in his head were no more…

* * *

_~ CAFE LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

Ren walked down the stairs and to Boss's location. His red-buttoned black blazer, white turtleneck shirt with chevron detailing on the collar and red plaid trousers really made him stand out. Inconvenient but necessary, sadly…

"You're actually going to school? Here, my promise from yesterday. Just finish it before my usual customers arrive."

The awoken boy sat on the stool, his eyes darting at the aromatic curry and coffee his guardian had prepared for him, not even noticing its creator's smile. "Looks good, doesn't it? Now eat up before you get late."

Ren grabbed the spoon and began to eat the curry, exposing his extendable jaw and sharp tongue.

_'…?!'_

' _The complex flavors! That familiar moment when you first tasted your mother's milk as a newborn!'_ He began devouring everything on the plate, licking off every single spot of curry clean as rain. He then began sipping the cup of coffee next to him. Much to his shock, the coffee's flavors amplified the deliciousness of the main dish, giving him a short food orgasm.

_'I am in curry heaven!'_

Within a minute, the dish was clean of curry, having been completely licked off by our fellow protagonist. Looking at Ren, Sojiro smirked with a relit cigarette on his hand. "Extraordinary, right?"

"A meal over heaven." Ren smiled as he tilted his fake glasses.

"Thanks… Now hurry up to school," Before Ren could run out of the store, however, his guardian halted him there. "Oh, and flip the sign for me, would you kindly?" Nod. "Now, get going. You're gonna be late if you get lost, country boy."

Without backtalk or sorts, the dhampir quickly ran out to the streets and to school.

* * *

_~ CAFE LEBLANC, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

The last two train rides were the worst public experiences in his life. Every corner of the train was cramped with nobodies and softback businessmen wearing tired faces on their ugly mugs. It's like everybody here's slowly having their life force drained away.

Just when the day couldn't get any worse, the grey skies began to rain.

Ren scurries through his duffle bag. To his utter disappointment, he left his umbrella at home.

' _When was the last time I upset Molag Bal?'_

He rushed to the nearest store, taking cover from the ongoing rain. Looking at his phone, he checks the map on his phone. To his shock, the mysterious app (red eyeball) had reappeared once more.

' _I'm not haunted, am I? I swear I just sprayed Ghost-B-Gone on myself earlier this morning…'_

Before he could delete it again, an unfamiliar sight walked past him. Her bright blue eyes, wavy platinum blonde hair styled in bushy pigtails and pale skin (not vampire-pale) indicates she isn't from around. Her uniform was bizarrely modified into a fashionable outfit that would easily be a masterpiece to be put in the Louvre for display.

Her light pink sweatshirt beneath her Shujin blazer had stripes of dark pink and light pink (descending), on top of it labelled the words 'SWEET TOOTH'. The small hoodie with a panther's head painted onto it can be seen behind her pigtails. She's also wearing black tights and grey boots, which further show off her femininity.

"Not from around here, are you?" Ren asked. His overwhelming charm has managed to catch the blondie's attention. "Huh? Oh! You're the new transfer student, huh?" Despite her words of choice, her tone lacked mockery and any kind of sarcasm. "Was it true that you're a vampire who assaulted someone?"

Ren's eyes widened, and quickly narrowed at her. "How did you…" It was the blondie's turn to widen her eyes. "You're an actual vampire? But your skin… it's so-"

"Human? Yeah. I'm a half-breed. Ex-human dad and vampire mom. Pretty sweet," The dhampir jested. The girl chuckled, not afraid of him potentially 'sucking his blood' or the usual crap you find online. "Name's Takamaki. You can call me Ann."

Just then, a silver-coated car stopped in front of the duo. The lowering door windows revealed a man with disheveled black hair and thick eyebrows. Despite his looks, the non-human could sense an uncomfortable aura surrounding him.

"Morning, students. You want me to give you a ride to school? You're gonna be late." Ann, who looked reluctant for a microsecond, accepted the man's offer and rode along. Just then, the man looked at Ren. "Do you need a lift too?"

"No, thanks." The dhampir denied.

The teacher shrugs as Ann enters the car. However, she looked somewhat… crestfallen.

Deciding to appease Molag Bal with trickery, Ren picks up a miniscule pebble from the ground and flings it. Precisely, the pebble ricocheted onto one of the tubes, causing it to rupture. Following that, the car ceased to move an inch on the road.

Ignoring the constant beeping from the cars behind, the teacher came out of the car with a frustrated moan before calling the towman. Meanwhile, Ann managed to sneak away as the teacher was busy calling for maintenance.

As all of this was happening, someone sneaked up on Ren…

"Nice, dude! Serves that bastard right!"

The boy behind him wore an unbuttoned black blazer with a yellow t-shirt with a comic style star symbol. He has plaid trousers rolled up to reveal his ankles and pants with black suspenders that hang down instead of being worn on his shoulders, which was also being suspended by a white leather belt.

"Uh… do I know you?" Ren asked.

"You're the new transfer student, right? My name's Ryuji Sakamoto. No need for honorifics, by the way." Ryuji said while holding out his hand.

After the handshake, the duo began walking to school. "Who was the blondie, anyway?"

"Oh, that's Takamaki. She's quarter-American; we knew each other in middle school but we haven't talked much since we moved to Shujin," He begins staring at Ren's slightly translucent eyes. "The rumors were true, huh? You're a vampire, albeit half-human as well. But even with that exterior, you don't look like someone who'd assault anyone for any reason."

Ren's mood darkens further. "Great. Just great… My chances of having a discreet life are over…"

"Must've been **Kamoshida**." Ryuji scowled, stomping on the floor. "That **perverted** 'teacher' treats the school like his own **castle**!"

**"Candidate found."**

The forgotten app on Ren's phone began to display the keywords Ryuji had spoken. Discreetly, reality became distorted around them, nearly causing the two Shujin students to fall to their knees…

"What the hell…?" muttered the two teenagers.

They quickly recovered from the distortion, dusting off their pants.

"Dude, what was that?" Asked a dizzy Ryuji.

"Hell if I know… We'll talk about this later. You know a shortcut?" The exasperated dhampir asked. The pseudo-blonde pointed at the alleyway and said, "Yeah, if we go through there, we should be able to get to our school before we get into trouble. Follow me."

The two quickly walked into the narrow alleyway. As they walked, Ren felt lightheaded. As if his tether to reality is loosening. They didn't notice the puddle splashes in brief stasis before falling down onto the concrete floor.

* * *

_~ BRIEF MOMENTS LATER… ~_

The duo of troublemakers couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Shujin Academy, according to Ryuji, had become an enormous castle of epic proportions. More supernaturally, the skies took the form of an eerie purple vortex, sending chills to Ryuji and Ren's spines.

The school sign was next to it too.

"Dude, what the fuck is all this?!" The vulgar blonde shouted.

"Don't ask me. No one can have that much power to create pocket dimensions without direct assistance of greater beings," Ren tilted his glasses. "We're not getting any results by staying outside. Come on, we'll get to the bottom of this."

"I'll scout ahead, first. Last one's a rotten egg!" The blonde quickly ran into the castle, leaving the dhampir to bite his dust.

"Hey, no fair!"

* * *

_~ CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The castle's interior was vast and rich with expensive accessories. Pillars of marble held dim candles. A crystalline chandelier hanging majestically on the ceiling. Walls attached with frames of gold and decorated with patterned wallpaper.

When the dhampir and pseudo-blonde stepped inside, they witnessed the central hall shifting back and forth; from Shujin's entrance back to its original form.

"Th-this is weird… where's our school…?" Asked the befuddled Ryuji pulling out his phone. "Out of service? Where'd we end up…? That sign was for the school, right?"

"Probably…" Muttered the impatient dhampir as he pointed at an approaching figure.

Before the duo can search around, the sound of clinging metal and slimy footsteps approached them.

"Identify yourselves!" A masked knight in ebony armor shouted as it approached them from behind, spooking Ryuji for a brief second.

"Who the hell are you?" Ryuji walked up to the suspicious knight. "And what's with the cosplay? Some sorta school event we don't know going on here?"

Before the knight replied him, the duo felt a painful sting to the head and fell onto the ground with their visions fading to black…

* * *

_~ UNDERGROUND PRISON, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

Ren's vision quickly returned to him. A moment ago, he was knocked out by someone behind him and now he's in a crappy prison cell with worn-out cuffs and barrels in it. These are some Hollywood-quality props right there!

"Dude, you okay?" Crap, forgot about Ryuji… "I'm fine. The concussion's faded but where the hell are we?"

"I think we're underground. Wait, I hear footsteps!" The blonde spared no expense to run up to the barred cell. Out came two pairs of the black knights the duo saw earlier. "Let us out!"

"Silence! We have decided your punishment. For the charge of 'unlawful entry', thus you will be sentenced to death."

The blonde's eyes widened. "SAY WHAT?!"

"No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle." Said a familiar voice albeit in a very sinister tone.

"Kamodshida?! And what's with the- AHH, MY EYES!" Ryuji covered his eyes in pain as if he was flashed with a very bright flashlight.

The man known as Kamoshida possessed luminescent golden eyes, a small crown on his head, and was dressed in some furry cloak with pink and red hearts overlapping the crimson farbic at the bottom. Behind his cloak was a bulky physique lined with patches of short fur, as well as a pink thong concealing a disgusting bulge. Why is it wet…?

"The gall to criticize me. Then again, I didn't believe someone like you would infiltrate my palace, Sakamoto." The golden-eyed Kamoshida taunted. "Are you trying to disobey me again? Stubborn boy hasn't learned his lesson yet, huh?"

He looks at Ren menacingly. "And you brought a friend this time… because your balls were too shrunken for you to do anything by yourself."

"FUCK YOU, YOU LEG-SNAPPING COCKALORUM!" The dhampir urgently gripped the enraged blonde's shoulder. Ryuji got the message and calmed down. A bit, but it helps.

"So that's how you're gonna treat me, huh?" A lustful smirk began to form around Kamoshida's features. "It looks like I'll have to teach you your place…"

…Oh shit.

Three of the four guards entered the cell, attempting to give Ryuji his 'proper' punishment. Surrounded, the boy desperately shoulder bashed one of the guards down, causing him to fall back with its bulky armor.

"C'mon, we aren't dying today! Let's go!"

Before he could run, a knight shoved its sword's hilt deep into the poor blonde's stomach with incredible strength, slamming him against the brick wall. He swore he saw a drop of blood leave his mouth…

Not wanting to see his new friend die, he tried to use his vampiric strength to hold back the knight, who was surprisingly heavy and didn't move an inch.

"Just go! Get outta here…! I'm not gonna ruin another's future again…!" Painfully muttered the kneeling blonde.

_'What did this fucker do to him…?'_

The king was certainly amused by their little 'bromance'. "Ho? Running away, are we? What a heartless friend you are."

"He ain't a friend…" Oof. "C'MON! HURRY UP AND GO!"

"Hmph, how pathetic…" The blonde was pinned by two of the guards, much to Ren's horror. "Ah well, time for my Kamoshida special!" The guards held Ryuji's face to Kamoshida's. The self-proclaimed king began to repeatedly punch the blonde in the face. Each punch strong enough to make POW! sounds.

"Take this!" The king swings a harsh punch at the young blonde's face.

"Lowly scum!" Each blow deepened the colors of the bruises on Ryuji's poor face.

"Useless pest!" A finishing right hook sends the blonde tumbling on the ground, blood leaking all over his cheeks.

To add insult to injury, Mr. Wet Thongs spat at the downed boy. "…Hmph, where'd your energy from earlier go?" Kamoshida mocked as the guard holding him threw him against the wall.

"I'll have you killed right now," NONONONONONO! "Consider my blade a mercy-"

"HEY MOLESTER!" Ren shouted, throwing a soul-piercing glare to the man's face. He had revealed his other side: the dark justice he holds very dearly and seriously.

Glaring at Ren's split jaw, the man scoffed as he countered the dhampir's cold glare with his own. "Tch… Bloodsucking abominations like you have no place in my castle… Now crawl back to whatever cave you came from!"

A kick from his bunny slippers sends our hero's back against the walls. "Hold him there. After I stake him in the heart, it's his turn to die." He slowly turns his head to the downed Ryuji.

Ren began another futile attempt to rush towards Kamoshida but two guards he forgot about pinned him to the walls, just like how they did it to Ryuji.

"No… no, I don't wanna die…!" The boy hopelessly cried.

Kamoshida's laughter echoed through the prison cell. Was this the end for young Ren and Ryuji…?

* * *

_~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

Everything around Ren turned to black. In front of him was a doppelganger of himself, if you ignore the golden eyes.

_'Hello there, pretty boy,'_

Ren scratched his raven hair. "Are you a clone of me?"

_'Silly RenRen, I'm no clone! I'm your Shadow - the true self. Technically your suppressed emotions, but still you in general.'_ sarcastically exclaimed the golden-eyed doppelganger. _'Come on, build some fire in your chest. Rebel!'_

"Who said I wasn't?" Ren clenched his fists. "Rotten adults who feed on the weak, caring only for themselves and their selfish desires… Maybe the Daedra are right: humans CAN be scum at all times."

_'You should try fighting for what you believe in sometime, Ren. Not for a clan, or for a friend, or for anyone else.'_

"You stole that from Metal Gear Rising! I never thought my true self would be that low…" Ren joked.

_'Hahaha, humor! Now back to serious matters: did you regret that night?'_

A flashback goes through Ren's mind: the same fucking night before he was shamed and jailed for life.

"N-no…" Ren hesitantly spoke. His callous Shadow only laughed as a response.

_'You're a terrible liar, even worse than Kanji. And that's something to be ashamed about, kid…'_ He holds Ren's chin. ' _Stop lyin' to yourself, boy. We both know you're still guilt-trippin'. Despite our unfavorable outcomes, you let your guts do the talking! Now I need Guts boy back here to talk to me so we can get on with this charade, huh!'_

_'Repeat after me: I am thou, thou art I. Though darkness remains in thou, that void we harness it shall!'_

With a smirk, Ren shook his doppelganger's hand, chanting, "I am thou, thou art I. Though darkness remains in thou, that void we harness it shall!"

As the two completed their strange chat ritual, Ren's mind returned to the sex dungeon he was held under…

* * *

_~ UNDERGROUND PRISON, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

_'What are you doing… standing there doin' nothin'?'_

A sharp pain pierced through Ren's mind.

_'Are you just gonna hit-and-run? Blondie over there's gettin' wasted if you don't do somethin' about it! Was you kicking some drunk guy's ass a mistake!?'_

"Never…"

His eyes glew orange-red as the sight of a guard about to free Ryuji of the misery of life triggered his innate bloodlust…

_'Alright, sugar… I'm gonna help ya fix this bastard up.'_

Suddenly, the struggling dhampir's mind begins to break down. His head was ringing. His heart was beating faster than ever. His head's having the worst migraine he'll ever have in his eternal life!

_'I am thou, thou art I… In this crooked world, we must still dare dream. Dream of freedom! Even if we shall be cut and bled and crippled. Now invoke my name, and we'll go All-Night Thriller!'_

"AAAAAAARGH!"

_'Meh, close enough.'_

The raven-haired boy's screams attracted Kamoshida's attention. Abandoning Ryuji's execution for a moment, he faces the dhampir with a cocky smile on his face. "Are you that eager to die? When I'm done with him, it's his turn next _…_ "

The hands-free knight raised its sword to the air, ready for the killing blow. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind knocked back the guards. When the other reopened their eyes, they saw a bird-like domino mask forming around his face. The boy reached for it, and suddenly had the urge to rip it off his face.

As he struggled and struggled, the mask glued to his face finally came off, revealing a thin layer of flesh which was quickly covered by his already regenerated skin. After a bloody screaming session, the blood on Ren's sinister face dissipated into blue flames which spread through his body like wildfire. However, he felt no pain from the flames as it completely surrounded its entire body.

The intensity of the flames forced the guards and Kamoshida to retreat from the blazing boy. The downed Ryuji couldn't believe what he was seeing: an intimidatingly tall figure separating itself from Ren's flames, wearing a horrific smile while taking on the form of a humanoid. As it finally separated itself from Ren entirely, the dhampir was now wearing a black shirt, daffodil-colored tie, black khaki pants and a dark trench coat.

The blazing figure behind him slowly revealed its physical form: a monstrosity with a dark, glassy mask for a face. Above the mask was a sharp-edged afro, fitting well with the red leather jacket with silvery buttons and accessory zipper between its tattered collars. Its mechanical knuckles were glassy and darkened; the same could be said about its three-toed feet. There were also fisticuffs fused to its knuckles. Each finger had a letter: 'N', 'O', 'C', 'H', 'A', 'I', 'N', 'S' from its right index to the left. There was also a pair of misty wings attached to its back, held together by sheer willpower.

**A MENACING AURA HEAVILY ENVELOPS THE WHOLE DUNGEON!**

The figure from the flames slowly pointed its sole finger towards the perverted 'king' _…_

"The name's {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}, the Dancer Under the Moonlight…" Ren and the thing behind him posed again. "And we're gonna wreck your ass, motherfucker!"

* * *

_~ ROYAL WIND LORE HOUR ~_

_[THE OCCULT COURT FOR THE SUPERNATURAL]_

Earth, formerly Nirn before Masser was knocked out of orbit, is home to a colorful bunch of sentient inhabitants, the most well-known of them being vampires, werewolves, fae and naga. These four races are the main authorities that govern over the **Occult Court for the Supernatural** which is more or less an intergovernmental organization that secures the continued existences of the supernatural races (humans not included). 

Despite the huge contrast in population ratios of supernatural beings and humans by 2:8, the Occult Court possesses immense influence over both human and occult society, being the ones who are responsible for supervising multi-species trade as well as homeland security et cetera. They are also responsible for stomping out any violent supremacist groups as an effort to keep the peace between worlds intact.

The more advanced branches of the Court will be further described in the upcoming future.


	4. Y'arr H'arr, Mateys!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren gets his Stand-Persona. Ryuji is flabbergasted and Kamoshida gets his ass handed to him.

* * *

_~ UNDERGROUND PRISON, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

With a flap of its misty wings, the black smoke from {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} spread across the cell, blinding everyone else in the cell.

Pairs of glassy hands punched the guards' masks off, causing them to fumble back and regurgitate black ooze from their faceless heads.

The moment the smoke settled down, Kamoshida spoke in anger, "Who the hell are you…?"

"Can't you tell? I'm a fuckmothering vampire!"

Growling, Kamoshida shouted, "Guards! Start by killing that one!"

From the ooze piles came two Crypt-dwelling Pyromaniacs, floating figures with a pumpkin head carrying a lit lantern.

"Don't be fooled! Those lil' things are anything but cuddly! Move your hips, and let 'em rip!" The knuckleduster yelled.

With a cocky smile, Ren focused a ball of Curse magic on his palms and threw it at the Pyromaniac on the right. Undefeated, the other one spun its lantern towards the dhampir, doing minimal damage to his wrist. The other followed suit, only for Ren to dodge it completely.

During his elegant dodge, a silver dagger materialized on his right hand. With incredible dexterity, the dhampir shoved his knife far into its chest. With a sad cry, it melted into a pile of sludge.

This caused the other Pyromaniac to cower in fear, which made its next attack miss the boy by a hair's length. Taking this opportunity, Ren stabbed the creature on the head, causing it to melt into another pile of black sludge.

Now all that's left was Kamoshida.

In sadistic fury, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} dashed towards the burly man and sent a series of nasty hooks at him.

**"MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!"**

**PUNCH!**

* * *

_~ SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

Back in the real world, Kamoshida and another teacher were standing in front of the school gate.

As the other Kamoshida had his jaw sacked, he felt excruciating pain coming from his heart. His breathing becomes ragged as sweat drenched all over his skin. His head was getting dizzier and drowsier. Succumbing to the pain, he fell to the ground kneeling.

Kawakami immediately ran next to him, exclaiming, "Mr. Kamoshida?!" Holding him up, she checks his barely conscious body for anything unusual. However, the man slowly got up, pretending that everything was fine.

"I-I'm okay, s-sir… It's just… minor fatigue," Gnashing his teeth, he began to limp to the nurse's office. "I'll check myself out. You keep an eye out on the transfer student and Sakamoto, okay?"

Embarrassed and mysteriously ill, Kamoshida left the scene with an indescribable rage.

* * *

_~ UNDERGROUND PRISON, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

A massive CRACK! echoed through the underground prisons as a near-dead king was sent crashing against the jail cells. While Kamoshida was knocked unconscious by Ren's newly found power, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} began shoving sludge into its mask, absorbing every bit of matter into it.

Staring in awe, Ryuji only managed to mutter, "W-what the hell…? What was that just now?"

Finishing his meal, the masked phantom moved its masked head towards Ryuji's and held up a hand. "The name's {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}, Mr. Sakamoto. Come with us if ya want to live."

Just then, Kamoshida stepped back up, seemingly in perfect shape again. With an infuriated face, the man yelled at him. "You little…!"

Before he could finish, Ryuji did his iconic shoulder bash move on the taller man. It was super effective!

"Take that, you son of a bitch!" Ren noticed the key ring Kamoshida dropped after being knocked down. "Lock the cell!"

"What do you mean-" He sees the keys. "Got it!"

The trio quickly ran outside the cell. With some shaking and scrounging, Ryuji finally trapped Kamoshida in the cell. "Okay, it's locked!"

Kamoshida, who quickly recovered the 2rd time, banged at the jail cells. "DAMN YOU!"

Ignoring him, Ryuji turned to Ren. "Hey…! What was with you and that… thing behind you?! And… your clothes…!"

At that moment, the clothes reverted into blue flames, leaving Ren back in his school uniform.

"Whoa, it went back to normal…!" Ryuji exclaimed, looking at Ren and {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}. However, their conversation was cut short by an enraged Kamoshida. "YOU SHITS-FOR-BRAINS!"

In rapid succession, Ryuji threw the key ring into the sewer canal. "Goddammit, this's all fuckin' nuts! Anyways, let's scram! You and {SMOOTHIE} lead the way!"

"It's {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}-" The two already ran off. "...Goddammit!" The figure swore as he was dragged to Ren's back by an invisible force.

"GODDAMN THIEVES!"

* * *

_~ MIDDLE-LEVEL PRISON, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

After a quick experience of dungeon-diving, the trio had reached a blockade: a closed-off drawbridge with a Kamoshida bust next to it..

"Crap, the drawbridge's up! Ain't there some way to lower it!?" Just then, a dim voice from the last cell intercepted their pleas. "Hey, blondie! Frizzy hair! Look over here!"

In the jail cell was an anthropomorphic cat with black fur wearing nothing but a yellow scarf.

"A cat?!"

"I'm not a cat! Get me out of here…!" It points its paws to a king ring dangling on the wall. "Look, the key's right there. If you want to know how to escape, let me out."

Ren unlocked the cell without a single thought. "D-dude!"

"Even if he's an enemy, we'd overwhelm him. I mean, you saw what my punch ghost did to Kamoshita." Ren logically explained.

"Fair enough. Now get us out of here, cat!" Ryuji impatiently tapped his foot.

"Don't call me a cat! I am Morgana!" The not-cat exclaimed.

"Well hurry up, or we'll lose more than our souls!" Exclaimed {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}. "Plus, I ain't a fan of guillotines. Or drugs. Nasty shit kills people slowly…"

"Alright. Follow me and stay low!" Running to the drawbridge, Morgana reached for the Kamoshida bust and pulled the stone jaw downwards. The glowing eyes of the bust triggered the mechanism, lowering the drawbridge for them to cross.

"Why didn't we think of that earlier?!" The twilight dancer exclaimed.

"Hmph, amateurs. Now, let's go!"

On their way to the next hallway, a guard came out of the other side, intercepting their escape route.

"A-ah shit, it's one of them!" Ryuji cowardly spoke while landing on his ass. Ren's black trench coat outfit phased back into existence as he and his ghastly friend raised their knife and fists.

"Tch… you amateur!" The cat hopped over the blonde's hair. "Stay still! Hey, you! You could fight, right? Get ready!"

Agilely backflipping, the not-cat shouted, "Come, {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}!"

A pillar of blue flame burst behind Morgana. From the dissipating pillar appeared a mechanical amalgamation a few feet taller than Ren and Ryuji.

It had a robotic human head wearing a plague mask shaped like a cat snout. Connecting to its cyberpunk torso were armored limbs with fingered hands and a pair of mechanical cat-like hind legs.

"Y-you got one of those things too?!"

The guard's armor began to fall apart as crimson ooze began to burst out of its openings. Out of the guard came two beings: a Crypt-dwelling Pyromaniac and a Bedside Brute, an imp-like demon with a long horn on its groin area.

"Damn Shadows! They've taken up intercept positions! It means they're holding nothing back and are out for blood!"

"Well, we're about to do the same to them!" The dhampir threw a ball of Curse magic at the demon, hurting but not finishing it off.

"Hmph," The cat haughtily puffed. "I knew you were an amateur. This is how you fight!"

{CAT SCRATCH FEVER} opened its mouth alongside its plague mask, revealing a miniature cannon sticking out of it. "Garu!" The man-cat fired a wind projectile which exploded onto the floating pumpkin-head.

_**1 More!** _

"Strike an enemy's weakness to immobilize them. Use that opening to strike again!" Once again, {C.S.F.} fired a Garu onto the Brute, taking it out of the fight.

However, they neglected the Pyromaniac. Floating towards Morgana at high speeds, it attacked him with its lantern. Taking the hit, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} quickly finished it off with a punch before it could back off.

The battle was over as the two ghosts began to eat up the defiling sludge left behind by those Shadow thingies.

"Hmmm, your Standsona's pretty powerful." Morgana praised Ren.

"Standsona? That's what you call the ghost thingies that come outta you guys all dramatic-like?" Ryuji said, confused with all of this castle bullshit.

"Yes. You saw how frizzy hair here ripped off his mask when he summoned that thing, correct?" Morgana said pointing at an arguing {C.S.F.} and {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}. "Everybody wears a mask deep within their heart. By removing that-"

The dhampir's clothes dissipated into extinguishing flames again. "Again? Does that mean he wore his mask crap again?"

"He doesn't have full control over his power yet. The transformation normally shouldn't dissolve like that-"

The not-cat was interrupted by an impatient Ryuji. "Rrgh, this is all too complicated for me! Can't we just go?!"

"Can't you just sit still and listen for once, blondie?!" Morgana hissed.

"Don't call me that! The name's Ryuji!" Loud footsteps urged the quo of escapees to leave. "We don't have time for a lecture right now! Take these and let's go!"

The not-cat hands Ren three separate packs of Medicine. This'll come in handy…

After an episode of Hitman, the quo reached another drawbridge. Upon noticing one of the cell's captives, Ryuji runs towards him.

"Hold on a sec!" He checks on the prisoner. He was badly beaten and bandaged heavily. "Wait, this guy's from our school's volleyball team… We gotta rescue him!"

Morgana hastily spoke, "There's no point! They're not even real!"

As the drawbridge lowered itself, another guard appeared in front of them. Ren's trench coat came into being with his {STANDSONA} on his side.

"Looks like we'll have to boogie our way outta this!" The jacket-wearing kickboxer exclaimed enthusiastically.

"*Long, hostile hissing*" {CAT SCRATCH FEVER} armed its mouth cannon.

From the guard emerged two faerie-like Beguiling Girls. Ren dashed towards one of the fairies, hoping to Cleave its head off with {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s toes. The Beguiling Girl flew sideways, but another Cleave slashed its chest clean, causing it to melt into sludge while letting out a banshee screech.

{C.S.F.} slammed one of its enormous palms at the last fairy. She dodged it thanks to her agile size and counterattacked… by blowing a kiss. Feeling for a parlor trick, the dhampir threw his knife to the air. {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} appeared behind Ren and formed a cup with his hands, launching his user up to the air. Elegantly, he bicycle kicked the flying knife at the retreating Girl, thrusting it deep into her womb.

"OW! Nice kick, sugar!" The Twilight Dancer exclaimed while doing a moonwalk.

"Do all vampires have that kind of agility and precision?!" Asked the jealous blondie. I don't like where this is going…

"This is all because of cognition. More guards are coming, so I'll explain more once we get to safety. That door is our safe spot. Come on, let's go."

"Hey, what do you mean by- WHOA!" The blonde was piggybacked by a dashing {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}. "Less talk, more runnin'!"

* * *

_~ SAFE ROOM, MIDDLE-LEVEL PRISON, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The quartet has finally reached their safe spot. Barrels don't make decent chairs, but they'll have to make do with it.

{C.S.F.} quickly fell asleep on a suspended plank, while {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} was on guard duty.

"Okay, they're gone now." Whispered the tall figure.

"I told you the Shadows won't come in here."

"*Panting* How can you tell?" Ryuji asked.

"There's a lack of distortion here, meaning the ruler's control over this place is weak."

The safehaven shifted between a small dungeon to a Shujin classroom for a brief moment.

"Is this a classroom?" Spoke the flabbergasted Ryuji.

"I'll explain everything at once: this realm is called the Metaverse. It is an alternate dimension where unconscious human desires become real and gain physical form. An example is this castle - since the ruler sees your school as a castle, this part of the world came to being. I call such a place a Palace."

Ryuji's eyes widened in realization. That realization quickly turned into pure rage. "Then that means Kamoshida thinks of his school as his damn castle!"

"That's right. Bear in mind that the Kamoshida you saw was his Shadow - his suppressed emotions and otherwise known as his private agendas wearing a copy of his body."

Ryuji kicked his barrel. "THAT MOTHERFUCKER!"

Ren and Morgana looked at him with slight worry. "You must really hate the guy."

" _Hate_ doesn't even cover how I feel about him. But enough about that, what's up with this room being a classroom and him looking like a Lupin the Third knockoff?"

"Hey!"

"Anything distorts according to how a ruler pleases within his Palace. A school can turn into a castle like this, after all. These outfits' appearances are manifested by our powerful ego and prevent us from being distorted by the castle." Morgana explained.

"So, a hazmat suit that takes the form of our egos when going into a nuclear reactor so we don't turn into the Hulk or similar monstrosities." Ryuji briefly explained with manga logic. He's not ENTIRELY wrong, though.

"I didn't get that but I guess it's something similar."

"But what about you? I don't see any cat outfit on you or something."

"I'm a human - an honest-to-god human!" Morgana argued.

"No, you're obviously a talking cat with human intellect!" Ryuji retorted.

"You're more like a sentient cat than a human. And guess what? I'm a cat person." Ren said.

"This is, well… It's because I lost my true form. I think…"

"Kitty sounds uncertain." {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} joked.

"I came here to investigate the means, but ended up getting caught and tortured by Kamoshida instead," Morgana angrily unsheathed his scimitar. "I'm gonna make him pay!"

"This is all fictional craziness, but you still didn't explain the school and sex dungeon thing…"

The vulgar blonde looked around the safe room wearing a bewildered face. Ren sighed, "Think, Ryuji. How much influence can a gym teacher have on a classroom? Not much. That's the point."

The blonde patted his fist on his palm. "Oh, I get it! Thanks for the help, RenRen!" The dhampir frowned, "RenRen?"

"Damn right."

"Then I ask for permission to call you Saka-chan." Ren wisecracked. {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} burst out non-existent tears of laughter as he banged the table, waking the man-cat out of its blissful sleep.

Ryuji's left eye twitched. "Fuck no! That sounds like a girl's name!"

"That moment when you fell on the floor showed how much of a girl you are, Ryuji." Morgana jokes.

Right at this moment, Ryuji's face was a steam pot ready to blow. He wanted to strangle the not-cat so badly, he had to be restrained by {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}.

"YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD, YOU STUPID CAT!"

"Alright, alright, I take it all back. Come on, the coast should be clear by now."

Most of Ryuji's anger dissipated instantaneously but not before a few grumbles and stomps on the brick floor. Grabbing his backpack, he ran out with the others.

* * *

_~ MAIN HALL, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

On the back of {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}, the gang quickly reached the main hall with the pretty chandelier and candles. Is it odd that the room was brighter than before?

Just as the gang reached the carpet in the middle, a team of Shadows emerged from the ground and quickly surrounded them. Two blacks and one strong-looking one they've never seen before.

"Shit, we've been ambushed!"

Just then, a gaudy king from before slowly walked towards the 'peasants'. "Finally, I've got you in my sights…"

"Really? A Soldier 66 main? You?!" Ryuji said in disgust.

The king shouted, "SILENCE! With my prying eye during volleyball session, he's the best character for me."

"You're really arrogant by human standards." Morgana taunted.

"The school ain't your castle!" Ryuji pointed at Shadow Kamoshida. "You've got nowhere to hide. You're goin' down!"

Kamoshida just smirks. "It seems it's true when they say 'barking dogs seldom bite'. How far the star runner of the track team has fallen…"

Ryuji gritted his teeth shut, unable to look at him straight…

The man looked at Ren and Morgana. "Do you even know about the company you keep? I speak of the 'Track Traitor' who acted in violence, ending his teammates' dreams." He looked back at the suffering Ryuji. "Ohhhhhhh, I can only imagine their pain as they were dragged under with your… selfish act."

"Track-what?"

"He betrayed his teammates and crushed their hopes, yet he still carries on as carefree as ever."

"That's not true!" Ryuji retorted.

The king kept ranting about their untimely demise. "You've come along with this fool and are now going to end of dead. How unlucky are you…" He turned his back on them. "Go. Eviscerate them. Don't sully my castle with garbage. I just ironed it yesterday."

Nodding, a pair of Dirty Two-horned Beasts with black skin, white hair and curved horns of green exploded out of the two black guards. Pushing Ryuji to the side, the fighters began their battle. But this time… they're surrounded.

"Ngh… we're surrounded!" Morgana pointed out the obvious.

The largest Beast reared and rowed its hooves at them, chanting, "I'll kill you! I'll kill you 'cause King Kamoshida told us! I'll kill 'cause that's what he wants!"

Having the opportunity of first strike, the Beasts Lunged at Morgana. The first nearly hit Morgana until another sent him tumbling on the floor. The dhampir saw what was coming next and jumped onto a charging Beast. He hopped onto its back, grabbed its horns and rodeo's the poor thing.

"YEEHAW!" The other Dirty Two-horned Beasts could only stand there and watch as their comrade gets treated like a joke.

"Enough of this tomfoolery! Guards, attack!" Kamoshida yelled at them. The only thing he couldn't tolerate was seeing others experience joy.

"But sir, the other's-" Shadow Kamoshida snapped. "I don't care! Just stop him!"

At first hesitant at assaulting their comrade on purpose, the two Beasts finally Lunged at the bucking teenager, who instantly jumped off of the thing and watched the three crash into each other.

"INCOMPETENT FOOLS!"

Giving the Meds to the not-cat, Morgana took out his scimitar out of nowhere. Thanks to cartoon physics. "They're downed! Now for another lesson: when all enemies in front of us are downed, we can initiate a special technique: the All-out Attack!"

"Sounds good! Dibs!" Ren and {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} ran towards the downed Beasts.

"Hey! Wait up!" {CAT SCRATCH FEVER} grabbed its user, using wings made from junk to take him up to the ceiling, only for them to dive bomb into the action.

A chaotic canvas of black and red was painted throughout the field. In the end, only the not-cat and dhampir remained.

"ENOUGH! Guards, seize them! I'll personally make it slow…"

The battle wasn't over.

Erupting from its armor was a… colossal gorilla with Ryuji's face and iron collars on its gorilla arms and neck. It was larger than {CAT SCRATCH FEVER} and that's something!

The four looked at Ryuji for answers. "Who the hell is this?!"

"That's Winston: super smart, genetically engineered gorilla that can take a LOT of damage! But why the hell is my face on-"

The gorilla slammed its fists to the ground, knocking the five back to the walls. It followed up with a powerful ground slam directly on top of Morgana and Ren, nearly killing them.

"...It."

Their Standsonas, no longer able to sustain themselves thanks to the injuries their users have taken, began to fade back into their users' minds…

"Bad… move… ugh…" Poof.

The gorilla turned back into the golden knight as the king slowly walked towards the downed escapees. "Rgh… You piece of-" Shadow Kamoshida begins to step on the not-cat like the animal he is.

A struggling Ren tries to reach out to him, but realizes it impossible when the guard steps on him also.

Annoyingly, Shadow Kamoshida had to toss a casual taunt at them. "I bet you simply came here on a whim and ended up like this, huh?"

The blonde, falling to his knees, muttered, "No…"

"What a worthless piece of trash, getting emotional so quickly…" His formerly cocky smirk grew authoritative. "How dare you raise your hand at me. Have you forgotten my kindness in temporarily supervising track practice?"

Ryuji slammed his fists onto the carpet beneath. "It wasn't no practice - it was physical abuse! You just didn't get your dream team because the school was on a tight budget!"

Kamoshida scowled at the blonde's sorry self, "It was nothing but a hindrance! The only one who needs to achieve results is me!"

Shadow Kamoshida continued. "The coach who got fired was hopeless too…" He held up an iron fist. "Had he not opposed me, I would've settled it with only breaking his star's leg."

"...W-what?" Ryuji whispered in disbelief.

"Do you need me to cripple you too? The school will call it self-defense anyway!" Shadow Kamoshida's arrogant laughter echoed throughout the entire main hall.

"Dammit… Am I gonna lose again?" The blondie was on the verge of tears. "Not only can I not run anymore, the track team is gone 'cause of this asshole…!"

"No wonder you're so- GAH!" Stomp. "Once these two are chopped to bits, you're next for my special technique… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Ryuji!"

"Endure and survive!" The blondie understood the reference and got back on his feet. "I got the message… and you're right."

Slowly but surely, his sorrow was converted to righteous anger. "Everything that was important to me was trampled by this fucker… I might never get 'em back…"

"What are you on about? Just stay here and watch as these hopeless bigots die for nothing because they sided with trash like you." The Shadow taunted.

Slowly standing up, Ryuji's anger grows ever stronger. "No, that's what you are. All you do is treat others like stepping stools… You're the real bigot, Kamoshida!"

As he walked up to Shadow Kamoshida, the king grew impatient at his stupid speech. "What are you standing there for?! Silence him!"

"Afraid of rebellious trash, Kamoshida?" The blondie points at Kamoshida. "You should be. now stop lookin' down on me with that stupid smile on your face!"

* * *

_~ RYUJI'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

Ryuji found himself in a void of his own mind. Ahead of him was… another him?

His doppelganger turns his head around, revealing his glowing golden eyes. _'So you finally realized it, huh…?'_

"Wh-what the hell…?!" Ryuji stood back a few steps, slightly frightened.

_'Scared? You shouldn't be, Sakamoto. I am your Shadow - the true self. It's about time you throw away your… carefree facade of yours.'_

"F-facade?" Ryuji asked.

His Shadow scratched his head. _'Man, we're both dumber than bricks! I'll make it simple: take off that silly mask of yours off of yourself; unless you wish to remain a slave forever.'_

"You're… you're right. I've been hiding myself behind my carefree mask for so long," He looks at his hands. "I don't even remember who I was before this…"

_'Correct! The past is our best history teacher! Now that we have come to a mutual standing point, let us form a pact. Repeat after me: I am thou, thou art I… Sail the Seven Seas we shall, unbound by laws or scurvy pouts!'_

"I am thou, thou art I… Sail the Seven Seas we shall, unbound by laws or scurvy pouts!" Shadow Ryuji began to dissolve, and the void began to lighten up until he was blinded by it…

* * *

_~ MAIN HALL, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

_'Ye made me park me ship fer a while, matey!'_

"Aaagh…!"

The blondie in the castle clutched his head as he fell onto his knees again. This time with agonizing pain coming from his head. He was crying and drooling madly now.

_'Ye wants power, aye? Then let's form our brotherly pact. Since yer name be already disgraced, why nah raise our Jolly Rogers 'n launch th' cannons?!'_

Ryuji's creams get worse and worse… geez, how painful can awakenings be?

_'Th' other inside ye desireth it thus… I be thou, thou be I… There be no turnin' back now!'_

_'Me skull o' rebellion be yer Jolly Roger henceforth!'_

A skeletal mask formed on Ryuji's face. The golden guard snickered as it raised its sword, "Hmph, what can you do…? Cower in fear and watch!"

In absolute agony, the blondie forcefully pulled the mask from his face, blood spewing all over it. "Ngh… **HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!** "

As the mask was violently ripped apart, a typhoon of ghostly green burst out of him, flinging green bolts of electricity everywhere. The gust was strong enough to knock the king and his elite guard off their feet. As the clouds faded away, an ethereal being appeared behind him.

It resembled a translucent skull fused to a metallic pirate hat attached to a series of pipes held together by rusty fittings. Right now, it took the form of a mechanical colossus hovering in the air without legs; with its right arm in the form of a makeshift cannon.

"Ugh, this one as well?!"

Ryuji's attire changed into a dark blue pirate jacket, hiding a layer of armored plating attached onto it. His wrists wore leather gloves laced with lead spikes; alongside a pair of brown pirate boots. Behind his back holstered a sea-drenched anchor with seaweed dangling on it.

"Hell yeah… Wassup, Standsona!" As the downed not-cat and Ren shook off their injuries, the pirate blondie cracked his knuckles. "Yo, I'm ready… TO KICK SOME PERVERT ASS!"

"Ngh… Don't mock me, you brat!" The Ryuji-gorilla from earlier emerged from the armor, pounding its chest scorched with the kanji 'shame'.

"Fuck 'em up, {KEELHAULED}!" The glowing skull's pipes assembled into a serpentine form, wrapping itself around Ryuji.

"We be sendin' em' ta Davy Jones' locker!"

* * *

_**A great day for a swell battle! It's on!** _

"What troublemakers that bother King Kamoshida with trifle matters!"

"Kamoshida's gonna keep being a slut, right? I'll just have to act like the troublemaker I am! Arm me up, {KEELHAULED}!"

In a split second, the ghost pirate formed a series of pipe systems that attached themselves to Ryuji, forming some sort of armor.

Just then, the gorilla summoned two Dirty Two-horned Beasts to the fight. As they individually charged at the rebellious pirate, he yelled out a "Zio!", causing his makeshift armor to form a Tesla coil on his shoulder. From the coil fired a precise bolt of electricity, knocking down the closest Beast.

_**1 More!** _

"Electricity is its weakness! Keep it up!" The not-cat climbed up onto the gorilla's back, its massive features making it unable to reach Morgana.

"Ha, gotcha… whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" The gorilla went on a Rage state, rubbing its fur against the carpets, as well as nearly smashing its palm onto Shadow Kamoshida by a hair's length. "Watch where you're hitting, you vulgar ape!"

More Two-horned Beasts and one or two red-winged Heavenly Punishers arrived at the hall.

"Ah, shit! There's more of 'em?!" Ryuji was scratched by a Vajra Blast to the shoulder, temporarily disabling his armor's tesla coil. He had to rely on his anchor before he could concentrate up another Zio coil.

Ren was also having trouble on his own: the positions and herd sizes of the Beasts made it difficult to get the drop on them. He also found out that {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} is quite vulnerable to Light magic, which the recently arrived Punishers possessed.

A Beast lunged at Ren, knocking him to the floor. Before its hooves can stomp his face flat, he did a barrel roll before getting up to avoid a wide-radius Vajra Blast from the two flying Punishers. He used one of the black horse's heads as a stool, hanging in the air while holding the armored angel's leg tight.

The struggling angel shook its legs in hopes of dropping it directly into the Horned herd. Seeing this, Ren pulled out its shadowy tongue, slammed the helmet shut as it cried out in pain, and jumped to a wobbling chandelier with the help of its sword.

As he observed the carnage, Ren came up with an ingenious idea. "Hey, Morgana! Lead the ape to the center, then we'll get the drop on them!"

Morgana's ears tingled and letting out a quick "Of course!", he flew into the air with {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}, with the gorilla super jumping to crush him with its massive hands. At that moment, Ren grabbed onto the man-cat and threw his knife straight at the hanging chain, causing the gorilla holding onto the chandelier to pummel into the middle, trapping some of the Dirty Two-horned Beasts and the Heavenly Punishers under it.

Ryuji in the corner was getting more and more exhausted. The constant dodging made his body hate him more and more, beginning to disobey him as he slammed his electrified anchor onto their nonexistent skulls. Using {KEELHAULED} also cost him his mental fortitude.

He put his efforts into one last attack to disintegrate the herd: a chain lightning attack that hopped across Beast from Beast - turning the herd of Horned horses into piles of sludge.

"Ryuji, Zio them now!" Hearing Morgana's head, Ryuji's pipe armor separated from him, morphing into an electric current generator. "Give it your all, {KEELHAULED}!"

"ALRIGHT! LIGHT 'EM UP!" A powerful surge of electricity transferred through the entire chandelier.

Every Shadow trapped under the chandelier was zapped by deadly bolts of electricity, downing them into a plate of batter-fried fish sticks.

"They're down! Finish 'em!"

A chaotic canvas of black and red was painted throughout the field. Comically landing his face on the floor, the blondie held up his right hand doing the devil's sign, shouting:

"THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE!"

**FREAKIN' BORING!**

* * *

Exhausted from the battle, Ryuji was gasping and panting for air alongside his exhausted companions. "What the fuck did I just do?!"

"A standard All-out Attack finisher. And it seems you have the potential too." Morgana casually spoke.

"Not that! The strange graffiti in the sky and me saying something back there and stuff!"

"Don't know, don't care. Now let's kill the king." Ren plainly spoke.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a sec! Just because I ain't forgivin' him, doesn't mean he's gotta die!" Ryuji said, shaking his hands frantically.

"Hmph, it seems you don't understand. This is my castle and everything bows to me…" A lustful-looking Ann in a pink bikini walked next to Shadow Kamoshida. Blushing, Ryuji shouted, "T-Takamaki?!"

"Ain't she yer heart-snatcher?" {KEELHAULED} asked.

"Ohhhh…! What a meow-velous lady!" Just as he said that, Ann began to fondle the fake king. "Is that her Shadow?!"

"Something's not right. I think that's how Kamoshida sees Takamaki." Ren briefly explained

.

"Yeah, you're right… The real Takamaki's more shrewd than this one." Ryuji sighed in relief.

"So you finally understand. I can do WHATEVER I want in this place. Everyone wishes to be loved by me." He stops fondling Ann and sternly looks at them. "That is… everyone besides dim-witted thieves like you."

"CLEAN THEM UP THIS INSTANT!"

A platoon of Shadows appeared in front of them, urging them to escape. "We're outnumbered. Let's scram before we're surrounded!"

"Don't worry; I got this," {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s wings grew in size and completely covered them in total darkness. "ALAKAZAM!"

* * *

_~ CASTLE ENTRANCE, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The gang of misfits were back at the entrance, already feet-up and dashing for the entrance. "Was that {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s ability? Turning shadows into portals to other shadows or some sort?"

"Maybe. First time he used it, y'know." Ren plainly said.

"There's the exit," The not-cat ran back into the castle. "I'll see you two next time." The not-cat pointed out.

"Thanks! Don't get caught!"

As the duo reached the exit, they found themselves returning to where they left off.

"You have returned to the real world. Welcome back."

* * *

_~ AOYAMA-ITCHOME, LATE MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

The injured Shujin students were only standing thanks to their Standsonas supporting their physical movement. Walking out of the alleyway, they blew a big, deep phew…

"We're… back…" Ryuji tiredly panted.

"Aye, after that castle act? I'm surprised I still got juice in me batteries!" {KEELHAULED} joked. "Soooooo… what be t' time?"

"Let me check." Ren's eyes widened in surprise. "Fuck! It's already lunch!"

"What's with the yelling?" A group of officers approached the barely standing students. Noticing their injuries, they rushed to their aid. "Are you students from Shujin? What's with the injuries?"

Both delinquents' other halves hurried them to quickly make up a cover-up story. "W-we were ambushed by burglars while trying to go to school, sir. Both of us got into a fight we can't escape. Sorry."

"I hope ya know how to act, frizzy hair." The Twilight Dancer whispered.

"Zip it!" Ryuji whispered.

When the cops looked at Ryuji, he spoke, "Y-yeah, we were scared so we went into the wrong street. In the end, we had to fight in some dark alleyway. When they were done, I think we were somewhere near Shibuya. Anyways, we're really late now. Can we pardon ourselves?"

"Is that so?" The aggressive cop stared at the boys' injuries. "Alright, be careful and call us next time. Now get to class."

The duo bowed. They hurried to school with {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s ability.

* * *

_~ SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

Ren and Ryuji were relieved to have finally arrived at Shujin Academy after their bizarre journey into Kamoshida's heart given form.

"Phew, thank god we're back to school…" Ryuji muttered.

"That's good to hear," A counselor was standing in front of them. "The police informed us of you two. How foolish of you both not to call us."

"If all due respect, sir, we would've done so if we had the chance." Ren said.

The counselor haughtily puffed, "Good to see you know manners. Our apologies for your situations. Come in. We'll get you two fixed up at the nurse's office."

* * *

_~ NURSE'S OFFICE, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

The moment the dhampir and blondie reached the 2nd floor, a ticked-off Kamoshida walked out of the nurse's office. Noticing Sakamoto and Amamiya, he looked at them.

"What happened to you two? Did Sakamoto drag you into trouble?"

"Fuck you, perv." Ryuji said, gritting his teeth.

"It's a surprise you're still not expelled." Kamoshida sighs. He looks at Ren. "Didn't I see you with Takamaki earlier?"

"When your car broke down? Yeah, I was passing by." Ren jested, much to the dismay of Kamoshida and humor to {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}.

"Yeah, a shame my car coincidentally broke down after I asked you for a drive to school. My luck today is quite terrible, I must say. Ah, I must be in your way. I hope you enjoy your new school life."

The man casually walked away. His whole act made him look like a braggart.

"Let's just go. Thinking 'bout him only worsens your mood."

* * *

_~ FACULTY OFFICE, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

The nurse section was quick enough. With his healing factor, his wounds will be gone in a day. Ryuji… Meh, he'll be fine with {KEELHAULED}.

' _Better get this over with Kawakami…'_

The moment Ren saw Kawakami, she looked like an exhausted avocado. "*Sighs* Unbelievable… Robbed on the first day of-"

**CHARM LEVEL 5!**

"…School?"

_'Shit, he's hot!'_

She shook her head. "I heard you were seen alongside that Sakamoto-kun?"

"That's not very nice." Ren deadpanned.

"Just… don't get involved with him, alright? He's nothing but trouble."

"And you're nothing but an apathetic bitch." {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} said next to Ren. Ignoring Kawakami, his attention was dragged to {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s side.

' _How the hell can she not hear or see you?'_ The dhampir prince muttered. The Twilight Dancer tilted his head in confusion. "Only Standsona users can see Standsonas. Like how humans can't see ghosts."

"...Devoting his time to track and field, though." She sighs one last time before they leave. "Anyway, break's almost over. Classes will end after 5th period because of the subway accident. You'll introduce yourself when class resumes."

Ren raised his hand. "May I use threats? I think someone leaked my record and identity out to the public."

"No, but the rumors about your… private identity should dispel given time. Now follow me." The avocado-skinned teacher guides Ren to his classroom.

* * *

_~ 2-D CLASSROOM, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

Before Ren entered the classroom, the rumor business was booming with cash!

_"Being super late on his first day? He really is a vampire…"_

_"He does look handsome though…"_

_"But he might drink us dry if we look him right in those red eyes of his…"_

"Settle down." Kawakami urged. "I'd like to introduce you to Ren Amamiya: our new transfer student. Today we have him attend from the afternoon because he was mugged along the way to school."

Another series of mutters echoed throughout the classroom. Ren paid them no mind. No fucking mind at all.

"Alright, please introduce yourself."

Ren bowed to the class like an elegant butler. "I am Ren Amamiya. Through the rumor network, you might know that I am a half-blooded vampire. I am pleased to meet you all, but get in my way…" He tilts his glasses sinisterly and displays his sharp claws to the public. "…And you'll regret it. I won't repeat twice."

The last line sent shivers through the entire class, excluding a brooding bluenette with various bruises on his face, wearing a deep frown on his face.

"Didn't I tell you not to threaten them?" Kawakami said with furrowed brows.

"Do you think they'll listen to a 'I'm framed' statement? Anyways, I'm done with the speech so I'll be going to that empty desk, capiche?"

"…Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you…"

As Ren walked towards the free desk, she exchanged glances with Ann, who was also in his class, whispering, "Thanks for earlier."

Replying with a smile, he sat silently on his desk, keeping his eyes serious to emit his intimidating aura. For further comedic effect.

_"D-did he just get thanked by Takamaki…?"_

_"Do they know each o-other…?!"_

_"D-does that m-mean he hit on h-her be-f-fore transferring h-here…?"_

"That m-m-means s-she's-" A nasty glare from the dhampir effectively the rumormonger up. "Mr. Kamoshida…?" squeaked the scared rumormonger.

_"That corner of the room is scary…"_

_"I think I peed myself…"_

Kawakami looked at the sorry state of the students in disdain. "Ugh… now let's get class started. Mishina, you're on duty today."

The bruised brunette named Mishina rises up from the crowd, "Everyone, please rise…"

* * *

_~ 2ND FLOOR, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, AFTER SCHOOL, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

The hallways shifted between a gaudy hallway of a castle and a school's. The intimidating dhampir shook his head in confusion.

As Kawakami notices his dizzy state, she approaches him. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Is… this a school?" Ren asked. Kawakami took that as a joke, replying, "Are you sure you're okay? It seems people are already talking about you. Unfortunately, we can't trace the source of said rumors."

She scratches her hair, "Why do I have to deal with this? Anyways, you should head home without going anywhere else. Sakura-san sounded pretty worried. And make sure not to get involved with Sakamoto-kun-"

"Hmm? What'd you just say about me?" Good timing, Ryuji.

"What 'bout me laddie?" It seems {KEELHAULED} took the form of a wristband. Very convenient for doing shady stuff.

"Speak of the devil…" Kawakami said with arms crossed. "What do you want? If you want compensation for learning time, I'll gladly provide."

"I just needed to speak with RenRen, that's all." Ryuji simply said. He saw Ren's comical frown and Kawakami snickering a little.

"Don't forget to dye your hair back."

"Sorry 'bout that." The vulgar bondie said in a very unapologetic way. "Evac at rooftop."

"Be seein' y' two."

The tag-team pirates have left the scene. Sighing, the tired teacher spoke, "See? that's why I don't want you getting involved. These video game references make my head whirl…"

"You just exposed yourself, Miss Kawakami…" Ren jested in front of a snickering {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}.

"You got me…" She said, paying no mind to the bloody duo.

Just then, Principal Kobayakawa and Kamoshida had arrived, not paying any mind to him.

"Why'd you allow a student like him to transfer here? He's already started associating with Sakamoto," He scratched his brows. "The mashup news of a criminal student and assault culprit would make my contribution to the school pointless in no time."

The principal cheered him up. "Now, don't be like that… You're the engine of our school, Kamoshida-kun. You are our beacon to glory."

' _More like bacon of glory…'_ {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s laughs echoed through Ren's mind.

"Still, a steady build-up is necessary behind such brilliance as well." The bald egg stated.

"Troublesome job, huh? I don't envy you at all, Principal Kobayakawa." He stretched his arms brutishly. "All right, I understand. I'll continue to exceed your expectations of me."

And so departed the two brownnosers. Now let us see what the boys are up to!

* * *

_~ ROOFTOP, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, AFTER SCHOOL, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

On the rooftop were Ryuji, {KEELHAULED} and another fluffy-haired girl in a knitted vest. The latter was watering some of the plants on the side.

"There you are. Sorry for callin' you up here like this." Ryuji said relaxing his legs on a desk.

"Who is she?" Ren said pointing at the other girl.

"Her? She's Haru. A 3rd-year senior who's in the same class as the Student Council President."

Ignoring her, the dhampir noticed some rusty pipes injecting themselves into his friend's leg. "What's he doing?" Ren asked.

"Leg surgery. I sent some nasty shocks t' th' laddie's legs while fixin' them fractures back ta sailin' shape." {KEELHAULED} explained while connecting himself to Ryuji's phone.

"Are you sure it's safe?" The twilight dancer asked.

"What? He ain't complainin' much!"

"Yeah, he's doin' a good job so far- OW! I think the sedating shocks are wearing out…" Noticing Ren staring at Ryuji's leg with his bright, crimson eyes, the artificial blondie went back on topic. "We're pretty much in the same boat."

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} pfft'd a bit. "Yeah, if the boat's name is 'Pain-in-the-ass' or 'Society sucks'."

"Yeah, we both got framed with crimes before. Except yours is a criminal record, which was the topic of the day. No wonder you pulled that scary aura stunt."

Smirking, Ren sits on the desk, listening to Ryuji rant on about taking down the pervy teacher.

"Back at that castle and Standsona crap, where Kamoshida's eyes really saw the school… I think we should go back."

Ren was puzzled by the suggestion. "To make him talk?"

Ryuji sends him a vigilant glance. If you know what that means. "Exactly! Layin' low won't do much. They already know, totally pegging you as a criminal. The kind whose sole existence makes people piss their pants."

Ryuji crossed his hands together. "He must've opened his damn mouth!"

He's got a point. Even though they're all belt-weight pansies, they don't deserve something as cruel as daily torture. Well, since his quiet probation plans were over, a little chaos would be nice.

"If that shithead released my records to the school… I'm in." Ren boldly agreed, wanting some heroic fun.

"Aw yeah! Now we're talkin'!-"

"Pardon me, but what are you two were talking about?" The fluffy-haired botanist appeared behind them, scaring the daylights out of them. "Oh, s-sorry for startling you both…!"

"Nothing important, my lady," The handsome dhampir assured the fluffy-haired girl. "The name's Ren Amamiya, at your service."

He held out a hand for her romantically, not that he was interested in her but because it was the polite thing to do. "How gentlemanly of you. It seems rumors will always be rumors."

She put a soft hand onto his. "Haru Okumura. A pleasure to meet you."

Ren and Ryuji raised an eyebrow as the former let go of her hand. "An Okumura? As in… Okumura Foods? No wonder you kept your surname from others; they're all lickspittles desperate for cash and women."

"Like ye too?" {KEELHAULED} joked. To which his user replied, "Shut up!"

"Who are you talking to?" Haru asked.

The blondie panicked. "N-no one!"

Deciding to ignore his strange behavior, Haru bowed to them and took her leave.

"No one'll take anything I say seriously. There's also the rumors of physical abuse being real as well. Seein' that castle deep within Kamoshida's heart only proved my point; there's no way I'd just sit back!" Ryuji said.

"I feel you. Just don't get ourselves expelled, okay?" Ryuji pumped his fist to the air. "Then I'll be countin' on you! Don't worry; I've got your back."

' _I sense a bond of trust coming from Ryuji…'_

* * *

_~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

' _I am_ _ **thou**_ _, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a_ _**new** _ _vow._

_It shall_ _**empower** _ _your rebellious soul_

_that_ _**frees** _ _your heart from chains._

_With the_ _**awakening** _ _of the Chivalrous Chariot,_

_You have obtained the curse of power that_

_shall lead to_ _**dominance** _ _and infinite power…'_

A tarot card of the Chariot tied with chains appears before him. Instantaneously, the chains break, revealing the picture of an injured king on his dual-horse chariot.

' _The wheels of Chariot are unbound! Continue on your journey so that you may obtain infinite freedom and power!'_

* * *

_~ ROOFTOP, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, AFTER SCHOOL, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

The mind trip was… unique. What was that tarot card about? And what of his newly made friend? All of this is so confusing…

' _Ah well, no use overthinking it. Time to go home…'_

"You headin' home? My leg still needs some fixin', so it might take a while. See ya."

"'Bout a few minutes 'n yer swell ta go." {KEELHAULED} answered.

Shrugging, Ren walked towards the shade behind the ventilation shafts. Still having his leg fixed, Ryuji gave him a peace sign as the dhampir jumped into the shadows as if it were a portal made of butter.

* * *

_~ LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2033 ~_

As the boy entered the cafe, he met his grumpy old guardian. This time, he wore a wrinkled frown on his face.

"Hey, I got an interesting call from your school today. It's only your first day and you got robbed and ran from Shibuya to Aoyama-Itchome?"

"Are you worried about me, you big softie?" Ren teased, flexing his firm vampiric claws.

"Just behave yourself. I appreciate you lending a hand to the other kid, but you know what probation means, right? Make a wrong move, and your life is forfeit."

A series of ringing sounds forced Sojiro to take his phone out. "What is it?" Girlish mumbling. "Yeah, I just close up shop. I'll be there in half an hour."

"Ooh, boss's got a hot date!" Ren casually teased.

"She a hassle?" The twilight dancer added.

"It's none of your business. Now go to bed." More girlish mumbling from the phone. "No, it's a part-timer."

"I don't even get paid for this shit." Frizzy hair walked up the stairs and called it a day.

* * *

_~ VELVET ROOM ~_

The Velvet Master has requested the dhampir's presence once again. The familiar scene of dangling chains, steel bars and Igor on his desk with a bottle of champagne warms the heart.

"About time you've come to." Caroline exclaimed, banging Ren's cell with her baton. "On your feet, Inmate!"

The quiet Justine looks at him with her cold, still eyes. "Our master wishes to speak with you. It's for your own sake that you take his words to heart."

"First off, let's celebrate your reunion." Pop goes the weasel! "Oh…? You've awakened your powers. And special ones at that. Your rehabilitation can finally begin."

"Why do only Ryuji and I have these E-ghosts inside us?" The pun made Igor snicker. "It means you two have an ego and rebellious wills strong enough to be psychically manifested into the real world. You'll also be training the power of Standsona , to which you have awakened."

Igor continued. "Standsonas are the ego given form - a sentient guardian representing the inner self when confronting worldly matters. I have high expectations for you."

"Not my concern." The dhampir plainly said.

"Oh, but it is. You'll learn when the time comes. By the way, how's the Metaverse Navigator treating you?" Ren remembered that creepy-ass app on his phone. "That disturbing app that appeared nowhere in my phone?"

"It's not that creepy. The Meta-Nav, for both our tongues' sakes, is the only way to go between your world and Palaces - the pocket realms of distorted desires. I installed it to you as a way to train you into a thief with skills on par with the dastardly Adam Worth."

"Who?"

"The Metaverse Navigator is a gift from our master! You better use it wisely, Inmate!" Caroline warned Ren, ignoring his question entirely.

"Devote yourself to your training so that you may become a fine thief." Justine added.

"It's quite disheartening to use the Meta-Nav alone. Fortunately for you, you just made a vow today. That is also because of my guidance. The moment you activated the Nav, you've granted them access to the Metaverse. It's like a computer virus, except it transports them to an alternate realm connected to the human unconscious. Did I ever mention the violent man-eating Shadows residing there?"

"No. No, you didn't."

Igor cussed. "I knew I left something out! Whatever. Use the app at less populated areas to avoid dragging others to their early graves… and plan ahead! Follow my tips, and you shall become the most excellent thief…"

Alarms were ringing again. Why do they have to talk to me a few minutes before 7 o'clock?

"The time to go is now. Girls, send him back."

"Hmph, it's time! Go back and enjoy whatever rest you might have…"

* * *

_~ BIG BANG BURGER, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2033 ~_

We now skip from the uneventful day of school to Ren and Ryuji hanging out at Big Bang Burger. Blondie and frizzy hair have to wait until evening before they can go to the Leblanc attic.

Arriving, Ryuji ordered them both the Big Bang Challenge - a short burger eating competition. All for the sake of curiosity. Sadly, the juvenile couldn't resist the calling of a friendly competition…

"Dude, how big do you think the burgers will be like?" Ryuji enthusiastically asked.

"Hopefully enough to fill our bellies with all those shady rumors around…" Ren muttered.

Their challenge meals - the Comet Burger - have been placed in front of them individually. The boys and the customers looked at it with their jaws hanging on their faces.

The thing was about as big as an elderly household dog. The buns, cheese, factory-grade patty… Hell, even the vegetables looked terrible! It didn't help, noticing the soft, mushy fries looked tasteless and worn-out.

"FOR REAL?!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"This burger is as voluminous as a soaring comet burning in the sky. It will not be overcome easily," The female employee explained. "But should you conquer this challenge, you'll both be rewarded with an extravagant prize."

"Screw the prizes! If we both live through this, RenRen, we're sharing life stories!" Ryuji quickly prepared his stomach for a quick food-off.

"May we see each other on the park, my friend."

* * *

_~ ONE MEAL LATER… ~_

The duo rested their heads onto their table, hoping to contain the regurgitating feeling in their stomachs… But hey, they passed!

"Congratulations on completing this challenge! Your efforts have rewarded you two the 2nd Mate Badge!" She handed them the badges and continued. "New challenges await you now that you've become a Second Mate! I look forward to your next attempt at our challenge!"

"What in the flyin' fuck?!" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} complained.

"Th' booty suck!" {KEELHAULED} yelled.

With that, the employee walked away.

"Ugh… I've been shoving chemicals in my poor stomach for these…?!" Ren joked miserably, clenching his stomach and newly earned badge.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck… I thought vampires were supposed to be superhumans or something!" Ryuji spoke in a very bloated state, with no energy left to put his badge into his pockets.

"In terms of raw speed, stamina and power? Yes. But appetites large enough for potentially toxic fast food challenges? Not a chance in Coldharbour…"

"What's Coldharbour?" The blondie asked.

Ren was only able to mutter, "Vampiric… underworld- HNGH!" Crap! PUKE TIME!

The goblin-faced teenager grabbed a paper bag and puked into it. With {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s ability, the vomit was teleported elsewhere.

"Aw, dude! Oh wait, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s here- HMM!" Ryuji covered his mouth and ran towards the bathroom. Good opportunity to test out his new cyborg leg.

* * *

_~ LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2033 ~_

"Note-to-self: never try BBB challenges ever again…"

"That we can agree on…"

The duo entered the coffee store only to find an angry Sojiro covered in vomit. Now who could've done such a thing…?

_'Shit, must've been thinking about Sojiro…'_

"Oh, you're back! A package for you just arrived." He nonchalantly asked.

"What's with your hair?" Ren asked. Sojiro grumbled, "I was making curry in the kitchen until something leaked out of my hair. Smells terrible… I was lucky no one else was here."

He sees an unfamiliar blondie. "New friend, huh?"

"Hey, Sakura-san! I'm Ryuji, and this is my pal Ren!" He hugged Ren in a very friendly manner, earning a few chuckles from Sojiro.

"Call me Boss. It's good for the kid to find some friends. You two aren't doing anything illegal, aren't you?" He suspiciously asked.

"Nothing I would've known." Ren deadpanned.

"That's what they always say… Now why don't you two go upstairs and make an old man scarce?" He gives Ren a locket from a distant dream. "Take this. The description says it's some family heirloom. You've got a pair of loving parents, kid."

"I've got a nice mom. She let me have a sleepover with him."

"Well, good for you two," The grumpy old man gave Ren a small key. "Lock the doors and turn off the lights for me when you're both done, would you kindly?"

Nodding, the fedora-wearing man left the store with a lit cigarette on his grin.

* * *

_~ ATTIC, LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, MIDNIGHT, TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2033 ~_

A blondie, pirate, dhampir and dancer were in an attic, staring at a mysterious totem…

The totem had resembled a demonic figure with miniature arms and legs stuck into a Buddha pose. Its head resembled an antelope-human hybrid from one of those science-gone-wrong magazines.

"Dude, who sent you this? And since when can you use FedEx in Japan?" Ryuji asked, observing the foam-covered box.

"There was this Aeshma guy who asked me to use this thing to summon him into this plane…" Ren vaguely answered.

The pirate and his user looked at each other. "Why not? Demon summonin' couldn't be dat bad. Right?"

"Let's do it. He seemed to have answers to that other realm," The eager dhampir grabs the ritual knife. "Plus my wounds heal faster than humans."

"Just be careful, pal…" His ghastly partner said, backing off to a corner.

As Ren's blood made contact with the idol, its outlines began to glow a bright red. It released a malicious cackle that grew louder in volume each passing second. Within ten seconds, the idol separated itself into various parts, each of them spinning around an exposed ruby in the middle like a moon orbiting its planet.

As the parts spun faster and faster, the four could only watch in fear as the ground began to quake.

Fearing the worst, they ran to observe the alleyway.

Energy structures in the form of tendrils were squirming out of the sewers. Thunderstorms crackling loudly in the sky when there should have been no rain. Animals that should've been resting in their homes instead howl and roar at the moon with glowing eyes of pure rage.

* * *

_~ SHIBUYA, MIDNIGHT, TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2033 ~_

A crowd of citizens screamed in terror, unable to differentiate reality from an abstract painting.

Pillars of red energy came bursting out of the manholes connected to the sewer system, each of them spiraling up the taller buildings.

The air was contaminated with red energy, making each minuscule particle visible to the human eye. Just then, the skies were blood red, ear-deafening crackles of thunder striking the lighting rods on buildings, only to be silenced when it sank into the ground.

City structures began to shake and rumble, waking everyone up to witness the carnage the idol was creating… if the thunderstorms didn't.

The homeless sleeping on the streets were already scared shitless by the supernatural phenomena. Even the midnight shifters returning couldn't do anything but fall to their knees with shock and awe in their eyes…

If you walk closer, you can hear the kneeling mumble of the words -

" Yati Aeshma…"

* * *

_~ ATTIC, LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, MIDNIGHT, TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2033 ~_

The idol behind the gang expelled a strong pulse of red, sending their backs against the walls. Fortunately, there were no bones to be fixed.

"Phew. Thank god it's over-" A furry arm came bursting out of the gemstone. "GAH!"

As the figure revealed its animalistic features, thoughts of pure rage began to forcibly seep into their minds…

"I… feel… angry…!" Ren struggled to keep himself calm, gripping the tatami in pure agony. Ryuji was experiencing the same thing as well. "I want to… punch Kamoshithead… in his smug… PRICK… FACE…!"

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} looked like he was having a heart attack, flopping on the tatami like a fish on dry land. "AUGH! FUCKING KILL!"

{KEELHAULED}'s serpentine form was having an intense seizure. The green miasma in his eyes was replaced with red ash. "WIPE TH' DECKS! FIRE ME CANNONS! LAUNCH TH' RIPTIDE!"

Finally did the figure reveal its body entirely. It began to absorb all the red energies coming from the masses with its flesh-free knuckles, forming a concentrated field of said energies. Raising its limbs up-high, the inhuman figure unleashed a beastly roar, dissipating all of the energies in the form of an explosion of raw power.

The rage from the duo had subsided, clarity returning to their minds once more…

Shibuya had returned to its normal state. However, its residents were shocked to the very core, given what had transpired a few seconds ago.

The beast sighed in some sort of relief, walking towards the rage-exhausted dhampir.

"Who the hell are you…?!" Ren silently whispered.

The intimidating figure chuckled, "Sleep…"

* * *

_~ STANDSONA INFO ~_

_{SMOOTH CRIMINAL}_

_APPEARANCE:_ _{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} takes on the form of a faceless humanoid with darkened features. It wears a Thriller jacket with a silver skull between its collar, dark leather pants and sandals for its glassy feet._ _Its 'skin' is crystalline and colored in ebony. It has sharp-edged fingers fused with silver fisticuffs with the words of the 8-word phrase 'NO CHAINS' spelled onto each of them, from the right index to its left._ _I_ _ts feet are also crystalline and possess avian-like toes, has t_ _wo shreds from its jacket's back emit black smoke shaped like gaseous wings._

_TRAIT: Bloodstains on the Carpet - Increases dodge rate when the party is ambushed._

_POWERS:_ _{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} allows its user (and itself) to transform all shadows within visible range into dimensional gateways and travel across them. The shadows' distance must be within 10m to create an accessible portal. Its most fatal flaw is light, as it can dispel shadows and therefore {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s ability almost immediately. However, the portal cannot be used for lethal purposes and people midway across the portal will remain in a state of decapitation. Decapitated areas where the wound should be are replaced with a void containing numerous stars and nebulas. As long as each body part is reattached to each other, the victim can return back to normal._

_Thanks to the growing tides of the Sea of Souls, Shadows can now cast all kinds of spells on their own, without needing to draw mana from a greater being. They used the human psyche to grant themselves strengths and weaknesses to magic. However, they are sometimes incredibly random and non-sensical; in comparison to the lore their figures were based on._

_{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} is resistant to_ _Curse_ _magic but is vulnerable to_ _Light_ _magic._

_STATS:_

_Power: C_

_Speed: A_

_Range: B_

_Durability: D_

_Precision: A_

_Potential: INFINITE_

_SKILLS:_ _Eiha,_ _Cleave,_ _Sukunda_

* * *

_{CAT SCRATCH FEVER}_

_APPEARANCE:_ _{C.S.F.} takes the form of a mechanical cat-human hybrid made from robust metal and factory parts. Its torso is composed of several tubes attached to different sections on its back. I_ _ts forelimbs are gigantic limbs fused to large homo sapiens palms. Despite the presence of thumbs, they're usually too large to do complicated tasks such as lockpicking and making infiltration tools._ _It possesses mechanical hind legs with the skeletal structure of a felis catus. Their sizes exceed its forelimbs, forcing it to produce locomotion like a tyrannosaurus._

TRAIT: Kitty Next Door - Healing received by allies is increased by 50%.

_POWERS:_ _Scrap Generation - {C.S.F.}'s mechanical form has no actual body. The mechanical hybrid's consciousness stems from Morgana's cat side of his ego and in theory, has no true physical form to interact with. The cat form created by Morgana is an amalgamated form of his conscious desires. Exploiting this trait, Morgana can force {C.S.F.} to take on any form he deems necessary. Whether it be a bootleg glider or bomb, anything within imagination is possible. However, it only has a range of 3m and since the Standsona itself is not an automatic type, Morgana must concentrate to fully manifest {C.S.F.}._ _Damage dealt or movement restrictions dealt to {C.S.F.} is not transferred to the non-cat himself._

_Thanks to the growing tides of the Sea of Souls, Shadows can now cast all kinds of spells on their own, without needing to draw mana from a greater being. They used the human psyche to grant themselves strengths and weaknesses to magic. However, they are sometimes incredibly random and non-sensical; in comparison to the lore their figures were based on._

_{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} is resistant to_ _Wind_ _magic but is vulnerable to Electric_ _magic._

_STATS:_

_Power: B_

_Speed: C_

_Range: D_

_Durability: N/A_

_Precision: B_

_Potential: C_

_SKILLS:_ _Garu,_ _Dia,_ _Patra_

* * *

_{KEELHAULED}_

_APPEARANCE:_ _{KEELHAULED} has two 'body' parts: a skeletal head fused to a metallic pirate hat, and a series of rusty factory pipes. A series of cosmetic_ _pipes are attached by independent pipe fittings. Thanks to this system, they can be easily attached and separated at the same time._ _The skull constantly emits a mint green smoke with luminescent properties. Despite the appearance of said smoke, however, it is completely harmless and purely cosmetic._

TRAIT: Walk the Plank - Chance to increase physical damage of allies by 40%.

_POWERS:_ _{KEELHAULED} is a fully mechanical entity that can attach itself to a specific type of machinery, upgrading or altering its main function and enhancing said machine's durability. However, doing so leaves its user partially defenseless._ _{KEELHAULED}'s non-humanoid physiology allows it to freely alter its size and mass by itself or by its user's command. Through connection to the internet, it can perform advanced surgeries solely relying on its mechanical body._ _Similar to {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}, {KEELHAULED} is entirely indestructible. However, it is also a decent force conductor. Should {KEELHAULED} be worn as armor, the user would still take the blunt force if the hit is strong enough._

_Thanks to the growing tides of the Sea of Souls, Shadows can now cast all kinds of spells on their own, without needing to draw mana from a greater being. They used the human psyche to grant themselves strengths and weaknesses to magic. However, they are sometimes incredibly random and non-sensical; in comparison to the lore their figures were based on._

_{KEELHAULED} is resistant to Electric magic but is vulnerable to Wind magic._

_STATS:_

_Power: N/A_

_Speed: B_

_Range: C_

_Durability: A_

_Precision: N/A_

_Potential: C_

_SKILLS:_ _Zio,_ _Lunge_

* * *

_~ ROYAL WIND LORE HOUR ~_

_[AKA MANAH - THE FATE-LESS DAEVA]_

" _Life is fleeting… We are eternal. Reality's our garden and we're the botanists, ridding it of weeds that wish to rot it." - Aka Manah_

_Aka Manah, also known as Akoman and Chaotic Mess by Vohu Manah, is the manifestation of 'evil thinking' and unconscious malevolence._

_He is commonly depicted as a skeletal figure whose head is a goat's skull, while wearing a trademark crimson-tan tuxedo vest, business shoes and silver pins. He is however, in contradistinction to his title, a very laid-back person who likes to have fun. Additionally, he and his brother cannot ever feel love due to their original nature, which they both consider as a blessing. He likes sweets, butter chicken curry, Chinese dishes and Vohu Manah's stupidity. He also dislikes whiny brats, normality, acts of kindness and generally, Vohu Manah's 'goody-two-shoes' attitude._

_Not known to many others, his bones are a disguise for his true form: a formless, eyeball-covered ooze stuck to a goat's skull._

_His title actually reflects his darker, sadistic side. Akoman has commited murder, mayhem, grand theft auto, creation of dangerous biological and magical weaponry, multiversal omnicide, multidimensional genocide, jaywalking and lollygagging. He especially enjoys the last two since they irritate people the most._

_He is also incredibly powerful: being omniscient, possessing magical power enough to pose a threat to the Creator Gods themselves, infinite regenerative abilities, unbound shapeshifting, self-cloning and immunity against holy magic - his race's greatest weakness. In many absurd theories, it was stated that Aka Manah created the Amesha Spentas to provide himself a worthy challenge, much to his complete denial and his brother's dismay. However, it is true that Akoman is related to their origins. By forging his children from the corpses of his enemies (plus a portion of his soul and a teaspoon of salt), Vohu Manah had to forge new Amesha Spentas to oppose their tyranny to maintain equilibrium._

_During 2009, he assisted S.E.E.S. in vanquishing the dreadful Dark Hour alongside the Wild Cards Minato and Hamuko Arisato. After their undeserving death, he, alongside Vohu and Elizabeth, assembled_ _**Aristotle's Doorknob** _ _, a doorknob-shaped artifact used to replace and reinforce the Great Seal for the rest of mankind's sinful days, reuniting the twins with their fire-forged companions._

_In modern times, he acts as caretaker and one of the trump cards of the Shadow Operatives for the hell of it. He now lives in Minato and Yukari's place, taking care of the baby while stealing from neighbors._

* * *

_[VOHU MANAH - THE PATRIOTIC SAINT]_

" _The Amesha Spentas' sworn duty - is to protect. The Daevas keep the world running smoothly. A necessary balance must be kept in order." - Vohu Manah_

_Vohu Manah, nicknamed as Vohman or Fatass Zealot by Aka Manah, is the Zoroastrian aspect of 'good thinking' and divine benevolence._

_He is depicted as a cyclops-helmeted, golden-armored being with celestial-carved weaponry escaping the gaps between his body and armor. His shoulder pads are carved with angelic symbols and figures of cattle of every kind; his bracers and leggings are tanky and crystal-encrusted, smelted for physical combat._

_On his back is a radiant box carved with the phrase 'ALKHAYR' - Arabic for 'benevolence'. It is revealed to be a shape-changing tactical device which supports his abilities, improving performance efficiency by many-folds._ _His armor is also part of him._

_Vohu Manah is the perfect hero: selfless, caring, righteous, forgiving, fair, passionate for justice et cetera. Although his evil twin is his antithesis, he cares for him in a sibling-sibling way. Albeit in a_ _ruder and irritable way. He likes salty fish, animals, heavy weaponry and following Ahura Mazda's virtues. He hates Ahriman's outdated philosophy, Aka Manah's selfishness and crude humor, as well as Daevas who aren't Aka Manah._

_The progenitor Amesha Spenta himself possesses fiction-defying powers on par with Aka Manah's. He possesses infinite strength, invulnerability to damage, almighty weapon mastery, independent body parts and the Stasis Force - the power to freely alter the distribution of force of every object and ultimately, space-time itself. He brought the Amesha Spentas and angelic Yazatas to existence for the sole purpose of maintaining equilibrium. He still treats them like his own, but doesn't feel much since apathy for love is a trait he shares with his brother._

_Vohu Manah accompanied Aka Manah in 2009 to ensure that the Great Seal was properly created. Witnessing the immense sorrow of his allies of equilibrium, he was drowning with guilt. Without hesitation, he accepted his wickedly cunning brother's alternative solution -_ _**Aristotle's Doorknob** _ _._

_Ever since the 3rd Journey, Vohu Manah decided to stay with the Shadow Operatives until the Arisato Twins' untimely deaths. He now lives with the Sanada Family, cleaning the house and doing laundry._

_A casual demotion, if he says so himself._


	5. The Fall (Literally)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad things go tumbling down for our main characters. Isn't that sweet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for short chapter! Testing writing techniques!

* * *

_~ LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, MORNING, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13TH, 2033 ~_

"…A nation-wide earthquake had struck Tokyo yesterday at midnight 12:07 a.m, rendering many public appliances disabled in the aftermath. Fortunately, only a few injuries were reported. There were also comments of 'monstrous lights emerging from the sewers' by witnesses. School activity will be temporarily suspended until further notice due to damage done to the railways and the most recent mental shutdown-"

**CLICK!**

Sojiro rubbed the back of his neck, puffing smoke out of his mouth as he watched the two youngsters tidy the closed café. "Thanks for the favor. Last night nearly wrecked the whole place, huh…?"

He sighed, "By the way, did you guys get hit by a sudden urge of anger before falling unconscious?"

The two began sweating nervously. "W-we don't remember…"

He rubs his head tiredly. "Thought so. It was as if a powerful demonic being entered our world through some magic ritual, distorting reality as it passed through before a dramatic shockwave made us fall back asleep."

"Y-yeah…" That was spot-on! "Anyways, we've cleaned up the glass shards. I'm gonna call ma and see if needs help cleanin'."

"Pfft, no one's stopping you. You do what gotta do, mama's boy." The blondie went upstairs without argument.

"Hey, kid," A masked Ren holding his feather duster turns to face him. "How do you deal with mental trauma?"

"Time; or have lots of bravery. Why the particular subject, Boss?" Sojiro looked worried for a moment. "Nothing you should trouble yourself with… Oh, when you're done with feather dusting the place, wash the dishes for me, would you kindly? I appreciate the help."

Boss went back to brewing his morning coffee as Ren continued dusting the ceilings.

* * *

_~ ATTIC, LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, MORNING, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13TH, 2033 ~_

"Okay, so how are we gonna tell Boss about… him?" He points at the demon they deliberately summoned yesterday. The demonic-looking being has a humanoid skull completely devoid of flesh and its body covered in thick patches of crimson fur. The demon's physique is overall humanoid with the exception of its larger forearms and hooved legs. The being's attire consists of a pelt loincloth and a lone leather shoulder pad strapped to its left; the belt around the demon's waist is holstering a rusty mace.

"No one's gonna believe our Metaverse shit, let alone our demon-summoning ritual!"

"Not demon." said the entity with a heavy Russian accent. "I am Aeshma - Daeva of rage if must know."

"But what's with the explosive entrance? You caused a minor earthquake that cost Tokyo tens-of-hundreds of yen." The dhampir complained.

"Yeah, and what's with you bein' able to see us?" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} who is floating next to Ren asked. The Daeva casually replied, "As powerful being, I can sense life essence without special need."

He holds out his palm, where a spark of flame erupted from his hand. The flame grew and dispersed into a glass cup containing a transparent liquid. Calmly, the Daeva holds out a cup for them. "Vodka?"

"We'll pass."

"Unfortunate loss."

He chugs the cup down into his throat, wiping his mouth with his gorilla-like arms after finishing. "Ah… Now, we get into business. Am professional broker and weapons trainer. I help you with Metaverse like Velvet Room girls for free. Very useful, yes?"

Question marks floated above Ryuji's head. "What's a Velvet Room?"

The situation became more complicated, but Ren swiftly explains to his comrade the short details. "Another cryptic dream I had. There was this old man with a super-long nose, a pair of lolis acting as my wardens and myself in a prison uniform."

{KEELHAULED} smirked at the dhampir, "Never knew ye liked teeny girls, lad!"

"No, I prefer the less idiotic ones. One with red eyes and hair would be great. Oh, and they have to be cute too." Ren smirks while expressing his type.

"I want a babe who's has a kind personality. Bonus points for being hot." Ryuji shares with the group.

Morgana looks at the fake blonde disappointingly. "So you judge people by their looks instead of their personalities? Tsk, tsk, Ryuji…"

"100% asexual. Do not have sexual interest in anything." Aeshma points out.

"What, everyone else not good enough for you?"

The quartet shared a pleasant verbal exchange with each other for a while until they were bored as hell. "We cannot go outside because of damaged roads, so what now?"

"Wanna go to the Palace?" After a few looks, Ryuji realized, "Right. We're not even close to the school… Hey, Aeshma!"

"Da uzh?"

"Don't you have some sorta magical crap that'll allow us to travel to the Metaverse whenever we like?" The blondie enthusiastically asked.

The dhampir remembered Igor's warnings. "Not the best idea. Long nose said the app gets installed to whomever enters realm of human unconscious."

Scratching his chin, the tall demon sank into deep thought. "Yes, I do have magical crap for Metaverse travel. Give phones. Now."

The two handed him their phones and he started to do his handiwork.

The phones were torn apart and rebuilt simultaneously in a storm of arcane energies, much to the amazement of their owners. When Aeshma was done, the phones floated towards their users' hands.

Aeshma explained, "Upgraded phones with new features. Should now be able to go to Palace anywhere or anytime. Can only transport passer-bys who focus on you, however app still infectious like wildfire in jungle; also look out for self-charge battery. Might explode when it touch electricity."

The Meta-Nav's menu was updated with a few new buttons: a 'LONG-DISTANCE' and 'GULAG'. Ren assumes the first one must be for extended Palace range. Last one's… Russian for prison? Probably a gateway to the Velvet Room but he's not feeling like it today.

"Thanks, and I assume you aren't doing this for free _entirely_ , so what do you want for payment? If you want souls to eat, you can count us out." The pseudo-blonde boy directly commented.

"No need. Am new to human culture and would like to try exotic foods to satiate self-curiosity. Today is good day for café curry, but am aware humans do not like racial stereotype much." He blatantly stated.

"That's an understatement: people are afraid of things too different from them; to the point where they exile or kill them like in _Dorohedoro_."

"Yes. Humans very wicked. Enjoy carnage and suffering of others. To survive, one must wear same mask as other humans, otherwise become isolated outcast." The demon sighed with visible disappointment. "Alas, truth is state of reality worse than what many thinks…"

"Hmmm…" Ren searches his closet. "What the?! It's a cosplayer's wet dream in there!"

He takes out an undervest, a pair of jeans, a Tyrant T-00 trench coat from the Resident Evil series, a Jason Voorhees mask and a pair of rubbery black gloves.

In an instant, the dhampir could sense a diminutive presence of anger and disbelief from somewhere nearby.

The duo dressed Aeshma up like an actual horror movie character. His tall and intimidating posture could easily fend off anyone else and the outfit only helped him look more mysterious. If anything, he might as well be an official bodyguard.

"Duuuuude… you look exactly like Mr. X!" Ryuji screamed with joy. "With you by our side, no one's gonna stand up against us!"

"Apologies. Contract states can only support with child here-"

"Please don't call me that."

"-and not engage in combat unless is retaliation or enemy of equal strength." Aeshma said.

"Fair enough." The boy wonder shrugged.

"Now if excuse me, I go hop out window now…" Aeshma did a cannonball pose as he escaped out of the window, leaving a smoking crater in a street very luckily absent of people.

"This is gonna be a problem…"

* * *

_~ GYM, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, EARLY NOON, THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH, 2033 ~_

Volleyball rally wasn't cancelled. It simply got delayed for a day thanks to "Kamoshida's inflated ego", once a very irritated blondie complained. There wasn't anything active education seen in the match. Just buncha grown-ups picking on small fry.

They had just witnessed Kamoshida firing a stronger-than-usual spike at the skinny Mishina, who fell on his rear. Shrugging off the shot, he got up. Likely pretending to be tough. Meanwhile, the teachers high-fived the secretly malevolent teacher.

Our two protagonists, in their custom outfits, were so bored they were half-asleep. Basically drooling while awake. Unconsciously, their {STANDSONA}s have completely fallen asleep, each of them hanging on the ceilings with their feet and pipe attachments.

Ren wore a scarlet vest painted with the Volkihar symbol; as well as a pair of brown shorts. Ryuji wore a yellow vest with a Jolly Roger on it; with a pair of short makeshift jeans.

Taking someone else's wallet from a nearby shadow, he took out the cash and tossed it back. He then noticed Ryuji staring at Ann, his cheeks a warm red. Well, someone's in love…

Her hair color and unique attire - a pink sports jacket coupled with a Pink Panther shirt with a dark background - make her stick out like a sore thumb, considering the school's terrible attitude towards outcasts.

The suddenly amplified cheering woke the quartet from their trance. They see three players unsuccessfully trying to block another of Kamoshida's kill-shot. He was deliberately targeting Mishina's scrawny face and you could see a small tooth fly out of his mouth if you pay close attention.

Kamoshida stood there, sending him a poorly hidden look of disappointment. He ran to take a look at Mishina, specifically his precedented shame.

"Sorry," Not sorry. "Are you alright? Someone take him to the nurse's office!"

The boy was dragged away by one of the students next to him. Looking at where the boy went for a brief moment, he continued the match shortly after. During the timely distraction, the troublemakers wandered off to find evidence.

"He'll pay soon enough…" Ryuji grumbled whilst passing a volleyball back to the field.

* * *

_~ COURTYARD, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH, 2033 ~_

The wild goose chase was fruitless.

Everyone Ren interrogated mostly ended up being overwhelmed by fear from not only his threats. Main question: why are they still afraid when Ren wasn't even using his scary face?

Right now, he's heading to meet Mishina for a direct answer. On the way to meeting with Ryuji, he decided to steal a drink from the vending machines. Better than paying for greedy companies…

"Hey," He was then called by someone who definitely isn't Ryuji, but a former friend of his.

_'Takamaki? What does she want with me?'_

"What do you need?" Ren asked away.

"It'll be quick." The quarter-American said as she eyed the dhampir suspiciously. "Anyway, what's with you? Like, how you got robbed the other day was a lie and all. There's also that weird rumor about you too-"

"Whaddya want with him?" A vulgar voice walking up behind the smoothskin asked.

"Right back at you. You're not even in our class." She retorted.

"…We just happened to know each other." Ryuji answered.

"What're you planning to do to Mr. Kamoshida?"

"Nothing you should know about…" said the blondie defensively, not wanting to drag her into their misadventures.

"The rumors about you with Kamoshida have already gone through the roof," The miscreant insisted, "Don't get involved with us. I'm not dragging a witness into the mud again."

"Don't act like you care, Sakamoto!" Ann rudely yelled.

"If you knew the shit that cockalorum's been doin' behind our backs, you'd dump him right away." Ryuji ranted. Ann was taken aback. "W-what's supposed to mean?"

Ryuji sighed, "Incomprehensible stuff."

"Anyway, people are already talking about you two. I don't know what you two are trying to pull, but no one's gonna help you." She looked worried. "I'm warning you, for your sake. That's all."

"…She does care, after all…" Ryuji said.

"As much as I'd love to watch you two go whippin' it on the bed, we've got info to find." {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} spoke with absolutely no tact.

"Don't phrase it like that, dammit!" Ryuji's face reddened intensely. A smoke-emitting pirate skull emerged from the walls and attached its appendages onto Ryuji's back. "Oh, look. {KEELHAULED}'s back. You got somethin' good, buddy?"

"Turns out there be some 'special' coachin' goin' on in th' club." The spidery skull said. "'N th' Mishina lad, he be headin' fer th' gates. We'll sneak 'em 'ere."

"No wonder they're covered in bruises." The blondie said.

"That's our ticket. Your info-gathering skills are quite proficient, {KEELHAULED}." Ren praised the pirate.

"Ah, shut yer barnacle hole, sailor boy! We got a sailor t' catch!"

"Phrasing."

* * *

_~ GYM, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTERNOON, THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH, 2033 ~_

The quartet have managed to catch up with Mishina, who had newer, severe bruises bandaged under thick wrappings. His face was still swollen like a sweet black plum, size and color alike.

"Hey, got a sec?" asked a Good Cop Amamiya.

"Sakamoto…? And… Amamiya too?!" Mishina muttered. In truth, he was freaking out inside.

"C'mon, we just wanna chat." said the Bad Cop Sakamoto.

"Ye sound like a raider." His unsupportive partner supported.

_Shut. Up. {KEELHAULED}.'_

"Kamoshida's been 'coaching' you, huh? You sure it's not just physical abuse?" Ryuji said, crossing his arms while giving the boy an intimidating look.

"Certainly not!" Mishina nervously retorted.

"Certainly not, my ass. We saw him spike you today. Right in the face." Bad Cop continued.

"T-that's just because I'm not good at the sport…" The scrawny kid continued to stutter.

"Mishina, we're trying to help you. You can start by telling us how you got those scars." Ren interjected.

The boy grows irritated at the direction of their conversation. "They're from practice..!"

"Why do you insist on keeping quiet?" They needed info, and they WILL get more info.

"That's-"

"What's going on here?" Speak of the devil, Kamoshida has arrived. "Isn't it time for practice, Mishina?"

"I'm not… feeling well today…" He replied with honesty.

"What? Well, maybe you're better off quitting then," He taunted the defenseless student. "You're never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice."

"Didn't you hear? He ain't feelin' well!" The blondie interjected, trying to make the brute leave. Ignoring the troublemaker, the teacher asked Mishina again. "Well, Mishina? Are you coming or not?"

"I'll go…"

The man menacingly towered over them. "As for the two of you: any more trouble and you'll be gone from this school for sure."

Ryuji just tilts his head to the other side. "Hmph,"

"Same goes for you. Keep in line, pipsqueak." warned the molester.

"Amazing spike back in the gym, Kamo-tan." Ren sarcastically spoke. He could hear Kamoshda's blood pressure rising from there. "Ngh… Just don't get in my way. All these unsettling rumors are making the students anxious, after all."

"That's their own goddamn fault."

"Tch. I'm done with you. Let's go, Mishina." He turns his back on them. "Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn."

He glares at Ren sternly, without visible effect on the boy. "Bloodsucking parasites like yourselves don't have any right to be here."

"Get with the program!"

"Bitch, he a racist." A well-dressed ghost pointed out the obvious.

The teacher walked away with a head filled with bulging veins. The dhampir, however, leaked that infamous aura of his on full turbo. "He dares to mock my kind…"

The aura was so cold that everyone near Ren, including the burnt-out athletes, felt a deep cold chill crawl over their skin., goosebumps forming involuntarily on their skin; muscles shivering from the fear so great it creates a sense of chill.

"Dude, calm down! He'll get his due soon enough…!" Ryuji whispered aside him.

"…There's no point." Mishina apathetically spoke, to the quartet's utter shock. "Proving he's physically abusing us is… meaningless."

He clenched his wounds to the point they begin to bleed again. "Everybody knows… The principal, their parents… They all know, and silenced all opposition."

"That… that is so fucked up!" The other three agreed with him subconsciously.

"…Don't be a pain. You don't understand what I'm going through." He stares at the fallen track star with stern eyes. "…Of all of his victims, shouldn't you know that nothing's going to help…?!"

"Ngh…!" The conversation ended just as Mishina ran for more of the teacher's 'special coaching'. "Dammit…"

"I know you're not gonna quit, but we gotta find another way."

"I know… Look, I'll try to persuade the other guys. That's… all I can do."

"Don't worry, homie. We got your backs. Ain't that right, my pirate fella?" Ryuji's talkative pet worm smirked back at Ren's pet self. "Ye goddamned right we do."

"Heheh… Thanks, Ren-Ren."

"For what, Saka-chan?" The dhampir couldn't resist teasing the blonde, much to his irritation. Eventually, Ryuji forced a smile on his face, teeth grinding to produce sparks. "For stickin' up for me, of course."

With that, the dynamic duo finally dispersed…

* * *

_~ SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2033 ~_

Ren picked up a useful rumor about weird noises coming from the PE faculty office even though no one was there. Minus the unsavory rumor of Ann Takamaki being… Kamoshida's bitch.

Even his bloodthirsty ancestors looked better than them…

He's also called by Miss Kawakami to tour the whole school with the Student Council President today due to delays and related activities. It wasn't a suggestion but more of a command.

As he walked to the council office, he encountered a depressed girl with a ponytail; she had more bruises than Mishina got on his wrist.

He approached her with his maxed-out Social Stats, looked at her with curiosity and bowed. When she finally noticed him, she asked if she was in the way.

"No, my lady. Your sorrow ruins your beautiful face of yours." She chuckles. "You're funny. Hmm…" She stares at her for a moment. "You're the transfer student?"

She holds her injured arm awkwardly. "This might not be any of my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, OK?"

"Quite the opposite, in fact. These rumors keep the remaining humans away. Good atmosphere for reading books, yes?"

She chuckled. "Without the rumors, all the girls would be swarming you this instant…" The girl frowned after their conversation. "I better get to practice… I hope I'll see you around."

As the bruised girl ran off, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} appeared besides Ren. "Damn, she's more broken than when Edgar Allen Poe lost his wife!"

* * *

_~ SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2033 ~_

On the 3rd floor, Ren finally met with the Student Council President. He wasn't disappointed.

She looked gorgeous with her red eyes, adorable bob cut and French-braid styled headband that matches her brown hair. Her curves were great as well.

And he mentally slapped himself for that.

"Ah, President Nijima, I presume?" He roguishly asked. "Ren Amamiya - dhampir at your service."

"Do you talk to everyone in that tone?" Ms. President asked, her tone serious and strangely robotic for a human.

"Only to the top dogs…" Ren spoke and bowed with immense sarcasm. "…Ma'am."

WINK WINK!

Makoto twitched her left eye. "My real name is Makoto Sanada. Nijima was my surname before I was… Nevermind, it's nothing important.

Ren shrugs, "If you say so…"

* * *

_~ COURTYARD, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2033 ~_

Ren spent the last thirty minutes complaining about the absence of Kirijo-grade technology. He even talked about how they were selling it for 15% of the original price, much to Makoto's prologed annoyance.

The brunette then distracted him by asking a chain of questions regarding vampire society. Putting it in words, it's not a pretty story…

He told her the complete origins of vampirism, including the traditions of Molag Bal, much to Makoto's utter disgust. He then covered the requirements of becoming a vampire in the first place and the secret vampire-hunting clan - the Dawnguard - whom they have disguised themselves as the well-known and profitable Dawnrise Corporations (Un)Limited.

To add the cherry on top, Ren also told Makoto of his bedtime story about his father's friends: a pureblooded vampire, a naga, a werehound, a shaman etc. Spooked and astounded at the same time, her notebooks were filled with ancient vampire lore and magical facts related to them.

For his last sentence, he politely dismissed the girl with a display of blood magic. He had to be careful since misuse of destruction magic can send him back to juvie. Unexpectedly, she remained calm throughout the show and left with a satisfied grin.

Now it's time to meet Ryuji!

He was there, all alone next to the vending machines. "Son of a bitch!" He said, banging the vending machines.

"What? Still ticked off about Miss Prez ropin' Ren-boy into a thirty-minute tour of the school?" The Twilight Dancer asked.

"No! I- well yes, actually, I'm absolutely livid. But that's not the point! Everyone in the school's staying silent!"

"We should've gone for the culprit from the very beginning if his lackeys won't talk." The dhampir directly stated.

"We can't; we're screwed if we get caught," Ryuji's eyes widened upon realization. "…Wait, we could still punish the king!"

Ren tilted his head, confused with his idea. "What good would beating _that_ Kamoshida do?"

"I finally found you…" A boyish voice called out to them.

The boys turned their faces to see who was talking. "What the…"

A black cat wearing a yellow collar jumped onto a table. It appears to be speaking. "I heard your cries for help when I was finding you two."

"That voice… Wait, Morgana? How are you here?" The dhampir asked. Ryuji was also shocked with Morgana's presence.

"Th' kitty's natterin'?" {KEELHAULED} asked with raised, nonexistent eyebrows.

"I am NOT a cat! I became like this when I entered this world!" He licked his hindlegs like a cat would in real life. "It took me a while to find you two."

"You came to our world? How do you even use a phone with paws like those?" Ryuji asked whilst playing with his hands.

"You don't need one when you're at my level. I did get pretty lost during my escape, though…"

That aside, Ren got curious about the cat. "How can you talk? Biologically, cat larynxes aren't developed enough to handle human speech."

Morgana explained. "It's all because of cognition. Since you both saw me talk in my Metaverse form, your cognition knows what I'm saying."

"…I don't get it."

"I figured. Right now, people can still hear my meowing because they think I'm a regular cat. Any isolated areas you know of?"

"There's the rooftop. Haru doesn't go up there on Fridays, so we should be alone up there." Ryuji answered.

"Great! I'll see you- MMPH!" Ren stuffed the talking cat into his duffle bag.

"Quiet, teachers at 7'o clock."

* * *

_~ ROOFTOP, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2033 ~_

The group of misfits arrived on the roof. Opening his duffle bag, Morgana jumps straight out of it, coughing furiously. "…Don't be so rough on me!"

{CAT SCRATCH FEVER} meows loudly, quickly standing on the school antenna.

"Enough of that! You said you know how we can deal with Kamoshida, right?" Ryuji impatiently asked.

"It has to do with what Ren talked about earlier. You'll need to attack his castle." Morgana answered.

"And then what…?"

Morgana continued. "That castle is how Kamoshida views school. He isn't consciously aware of it, but it's deeply connected to his mind. Thus, if the castle disappears, it would heavily impact the real Kamoshida's psyche."

"So what does happen if the Palace dies off?" Ren asked.

"Kamoshida's Palace is the metaphysical manifestation of his distorted desires. If that castle were no more-"

"He'd become an honest man!" The blondie interjected.

"Precisely! You're not as stupid as I thought!" The not-cat haughtily spoke.

Ignoring the subtle insult, Ryuji asked another question. "How does that equal to gettin' back at him?"

"Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart. However, even though their warped wants disappear, the crimes they've committed still remain. During the change, Kamoshida will become overridden with guilt, and he'll expose them himself!"

The quartet was taken aback. "FOR REAL?! Is that even possible?!"

"Given my experience with the supernatural, it's still a bit difficult to believe mind control magic that strong exists in this world." The dhampir added.

Morgana smirked even larger. "And since the Palace will cease to exist, our activities inside the Palace will cease to exist in his minds as well. In our heart-changing crusade, we're literally untraceable."

Ryuji cheered loudly with {KEELHAULED}. "That's amazing! You're one amazing cat!"

"True, except the cat part!"

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} stretched his ghastly joints. "So, how do we get rid of the damn place?"

"By stealing the core of the Palace - the Treasure." The not-cat plainly said.

"Like… the source of his subconscious desires?"

"An extremely similar but duplicate manifestation of the source. Due to the Palace's distortions, it'll take the form of something more eye-catching or less."

"Man… this is all so confusing…" A bewildered Ryuji scratched his head.

"If you want to help, I'd gladly teach you. The choice is yours."

"Our luck's already dried up. Guess we got no choice but to go along…" Our blonde idiot sighed with his pirate enforcer. "Our luck be shallower than th' beach shores. Let's go with kitty's plan, eh?"

"Let's do this." Ren posed dramatically with the others.

"…Good." Morgana spoke seriously. "Ah, and there's one more thing I should tell you."

Cough, cough… "The Palace is the manifestation of the owner's desires, correct?"

The others widened their eyes at the realization.

"From the looks on your eyes, I think you get the general idea. Erasing a Palace means erasing their desires as well. If those desires were gone, they'd be no different than a vegetable whose mind has shut down entirely."

Flashes of horrific headlines regarding the mental shutdown, mind fugue and the rarely mentioned… incidents watered down their minds, causing them both to shiver in horror.

"T-they might… DIE?!"

"Yes. Are you determined to face those kinds of risks?" Morgana asked in a very business-like tone.

"FUCK NO! I don't wanna be no murderer!" The pirate boy exclaimed.

"I don't think his head on a pike would satisfy me, or us in that matter." Frizzy-hair said.

"Sheesh… I come all this way, and this is what I get. Like it or not, it's not like anyone's gonna find out." The not-cat complained.

"This is a discussion of morality, not escaping the law!" Ryuji angrily yelled out. "If we go around doin' shady shit, we'd be no better than Mister Wet Thongs back in that castle of his!"

"Aren't you two desperate?" Sighing, the yellow-collared feline hopped on the back of his metallic Standsona. "…We'll continue this tomorrow. Make sure you've made your decision by then."

He flew off into the sunset skies on coarse, metallic wings. Wait, if regular people can't see Standsonas, then-

A loud yawn from Ryuji ceased Ren's deep thinking. Meh, everyone else these days are blinder then naked moles. "Man, we're gettin' all worked up for nothin'... Dammit!"

He stomps his feet on the concrete floor. "I'll try and see if I can figure out another way… C'mon, let's get outta here."

* * *

_~ STATION SQUARE, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2033 ~_

Mentally exhausted, Ren walked through the faceless crowd. However, a very familiar voice drew his attention…

It was Takamaki. She was arguing with someone over the phone. "Will you please give it a rest?! I told you I'm not feeling well!"

Ren's vampiric senses intercepted the phone call. _"Come on, Takamaki. I'll make the whole process magical. Besides, it'd be a shame if someone dear to you were to be… taken off the team."_

Of course it's Kamoshida… And did he have to slurp his tongue like that?!

"That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher?!" She was furious. "This has nothing to do with Shiho!"

" _The clock is ticking, Ann-chan. I'll see you soon…"_

The line goes dead, leaving a tear-ridden girl kneeling on the floor. Why the crowd ignored her was a question for another time…

"Shiho's… starting position…" Damn, those tears are real…

"You okay there?" The dhampir walked up towards the despairing blonde, surprising her in the process. "You again?! Don't you know the word 'privacy'?!"

She quickly calmed down, regretting her outburst of emotions. "S-sorry, I was out of line… "

The brief silence increased the tension between them. "So… how much did you hear?"

"Kamoshida lips, Kamoshida that. Wanna talk about it?" Ren boldly asked. The ghastly figure inside his head "Oooooooh!"-ed.

"Thanks for the offer but… I need to be alone right now…" The foreigner ran off into the underground walkways, carrying her tears along with her.

_'Goddammit…'_ The frizzy-haired teenager followed suit.

Thanks to his athletic build, the dhampir quickly caught up with the sobbing blonde in the walkway. Annoyed by his theatrics, she yelled at him, "What is wrong with you?! Just leave me alone!"

"It's not gentlemanly for a man to leave a weeping lady alone." Ren jokes at a very wrong time. "Come on, we'll talk at Triple B's."

Ann just sighs and gives in. "I don't get you…"

* * *

_~ B.B.B, CENTRAL STREET, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2033 ~_

The three sat at Big Bang Burger, having a bootleg therapy session with each other.

"You've heard the rumors, right?" She taps her finger on the table. "That Kamoshida and I were getting on."

Ren scoffed, "Rumors aren't facts."

"I've… avoided giving him my number… for as long as I could…" Ann looks at the duo. "He told me to go to his place after this… You know what it means."

The Twilight Dancer whispered in his head, _'They gonna fuck?'_

_'…Yes.'_

"If I turn him down, he said he'd take Shiho off as a regular…" She grips her thighs tightly. "I've been telling myself this is all for Shiho's sake… but…" Tears began to drop from her azure eyes. "I've had enough of this…! I hate him!"

Frizzy hair handed the natural blonde a paper napkin, letting her dry her tears. He continues to look at the saddened Ann with pity. "But still… Shiho's my only best friend. She's all I have left in that sorry excuse of a school!"

She wiped the snot off her nose. "What… am I saying…? I've barely talked to you all before…"

"It's what a gentleman would do." Ren smirked smugly, tilting his glasses.

"Haha… Usually people just ignore me, except you. Are you a bad person as the rumors say? You don't seem like the… assaulting-for-giggles type to me."

"Which rumors?"

"There are the ones about you raiding hospitals, stealing blood packs and you having AIDS because of that. For the more absurd ones, there's the rumor about absent students who were actually kidnapped by you and sent to vampiric clans as cattle."

Ren began to dispel the rumor mill's absurd topics for her. "To answer your questions, we don't raid any kind of hospital; we only confiscate blood packs from traitors; all vampires are immune to disease and finally, we only use death row inmates as cattle. You got that."

Ann widened her eyes in shock. Vampires really are a cut above humans! "Haha, you guys seem nice…"

"It wasn't all this cheery in the past. How we got to this level was because of Queen Serana Volkihar II's change of plan. Knowing vampires would be hunted down more easily, thanks to advancements in technology, she… made a pact with the humans: to secretly serve them and stay in the shadows, or be isolated from human society as a whole. Of course, we chose the former, so ever since the massive success of the treaty, other species began to reveal themselves as well, albeit without the government's consent."

Ren continued as he chuckled. "The werewolves had the same troubles as we do due to their 'feral' nature. The fae are generally ignored yet appreciated for their botanical talents and skills. Same goes to the dwarves' ingenious engineering skills in underground Iceland. And last but not least, witches are viewed as dangerous and Satanic figures by the elderly, and right now, they're still being secretly imprisoned in suppression camps."

"That's horrible…" Ann muttered.

"Human paranoia can cripple treaties instantly. It's not personal; it's survival." Ren coldly explained.

Ann sighs, and looks at a smiling Ren. "So I guess you're with the good guys?"

Ren's smile faded a little. "I prefer anti-hero for a change. Laws are too unhandy for people to enact true justice."

"Heh, so they were exaggerations after all. You seemed lonely - almost like you didn't belong anywhere else human…"

"Now you know why we continue to live apart you flesh sacks." Rude but fair.

"I understand. But… is there really no way to help Shiho?" She looks at her cup's reflection. "I wish he'd just change his mind, forget about me or something…"

' _If you could reach the Dark Net, you can even get a throwable truth potion… Nah, too risky and unreliable. Like how the last fire resistance tonic grew me a serpentine tongue…'_

"We can only hope."

She casually lays back on her seat. "As if that'd ever happen… But I do feel better now."

The two stand up with their bags and began to leave. "…I'm gonna head home."

But before she actually left, she warned Ren with a glare. "Don't tell anyone what I told you, OK?"

"And WHY would I do that?" Ren deadpanned.

"It's… nevermind. I'll try to dissuade Kamoshida, for now. And… thanks."

She left without a trace.

* * *

_~ 2ND FLOOR, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2033 ~_

As Shiho aka Ann's only BFF was leaving the school estate, he was intercepted by an apathetic Mishina. "Suzui…"

"What is it…?" She asked depressingly.

"Mr. Kamoshida's asking for you… and he's angrier than all the times we've seen…" He shuddered with a pale face deprived of emotion. "He's in the PE faculty office."

"Any remarks?"

"…Nothing else. I gotta go. Bye." He quickly ran out of the prison-like school, leaving a cripplingly depressed Shiho to become even more crestfallen…

Just then, a phone call from her best friend rang her phone. Entering depression stages 0…

"Ann…"

She painfully rejected the call, heading towards the room with immense despondency.

And that was all that's heard of Shiho ever since…

* * *

_~ CLASSROOM, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, NOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

Today wasn't a good day…

Ren had picked up a rumor regarding Suzui's condition. She was apparently called to the PE faculty office by none other than Kamoshida, and was found unseen at the next volleyball team meeting which, according to the members, have never missed even once.

He thought of all the worst-case scenarios…

In his class, this Ushimaru guy was preaching about the government…

* * *

_~ REN-VISION ~_

" _Blah blah blah blah blah government…_

_Blah blah separation…_

_Blah blah blah unstoppable…_

_Blah blah pathetic youth, blah blah blah…"_

* * *

_~ CLASSROOM, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, NOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

"Have you made up your mind?" A familiar voice from nowhere spoke-

Wait, why is there a cat on my desk!?

' _Hey! It's the kitty from yesterday!'_ {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s shadowy voice echoed through his user's mind.

"No shit, it's Morgana!" Ren whispered.

"No matter what you do next, there's only one option. You'd be better off just listening to me." Morgana taunted the dhampir in the shadows.

The dhampir made a few hand gestures, signaling the cat to be silent.

"Hmm? Was that meowing just now?!"

…Too late. For a last-ditch effort, frizzy hair shoved the not-cat into the far ends of his desk.

"Hmm, could that be the rumored cat just now?"

A fizzle in Ren's pockets alarmed him. As Ushimaru's gaze returned to the blackboard, the dhampir opened to see who was texting him.

* * *

_~ LINE MESSAGES ~_

Ryuji: Its no use… were outta alternative methods…

Ren: We're at class dammit

Ryuji: I dont care bout clasz! We got'2 find a way 2 deal with Kamoshita!

Ryuji: Dammit, guess we gotta follow what that cursed furball says…

* * *

_~ CLASSROOM, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, NOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

The not-cat in the desk wore a dark look. "If only he knew I'm reading this too…"

"Hey… someone's climbing over the fences!"

"What?!" The stern teacher ran to the student's window to see a heavily bruised girl climbing over the wired fences, trying to reach the other side to-

"Shiho…"

Oh no.

Ren began to panic, his subconscious self telling him to rush there in an instant. "Shit, it's Suzui! {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}!"

' _GOT IT, BAD BOY!'_ The two tall figures sank into the shadows beneath the windows, unnoticed by the others.

"Ren, wait!" The black not-cat followed suit.

* * *

_~ ROOFTOP, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, NOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

The hope-depraved girl looked ready to jump and embrace the cold hands of death…

Only for our protagonist to just arrive few seconds before she could jump! He called for her, "WAIT!"

The girl turned her head, finding the dhampir next to him on the hinge, grasping her wrist tightly. "Please…! I can't take this anymore! I JUST WANT TO DIE!"

"But what about Ann - the only one who cared about you so much!? How would you deal with the aftermath of your death?"

The girl began to stutter, "I-I…"

"It's all OK now. Come with us…"

The door banged to reveal two figures: Ryuji with {KEELHAULED} in the form of a plunger gun and-

KAMO-FUCKING-SHIDA.

That was the breaking point Shiho needed to grab a razor from her breast pocket, cutting off Ren's fingers and falling to oblivion…

Seeing no other choice, the dhampir super jumped to intercept the fall, willing to sacrifice his life for another's…

**SPLAT!**

* * *

_~ ROYAL WIND LORE HOUR ~_

_[HARKON'S FALL & THE FATE OF THE DAWNGUARD]_

_The founder of the Volkihar Clan, Harkon Volkihar, died fighting after a strategic ambush during his dealings by Canadian politician Louis Riel. It was speculated (and later proven) that they were supplied with weaponry from the Dawnguard, an ancient group of vampire hunters who have become an official organization thanks to secret government funding. To deal with the public, the Dawnguard have adopted an alter ego: the Dawnrise Bio-Medical Corporations Limited._

_Ever since then, the vampire clans have detached themselves from the human world; with a few exceptions being Ren's family, albeit in secret._

_Governments have taken extreme measures to remove their involvement from history books to prevent potential wars and discrimination from spreading across the globe. Luckily, thanks to the efforts of Dawnrise Corporations, vampire feeding activities have been suppressed enough to be invisible to the public eye._

_The recent advancements of improving the quality, flavor and nutrient values of artificial blood only helped to ensure peace between the two species._

_Unfortunately, like always, there are the traditional vampires who want to enslave humans, treat them like cattle, carve blood mountains out of their body parts or traditional vampire-related TV Trope bullcrap. There have been many rape and murder cases regarding their unhumanitarian tendencies which are covered up by the local Dawnguard agents._

_One of the more infamous back-to-their-roots vampire groups are the Orlock Clan, inspired by the film 'Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror' in 1922. Despite the Dawnguard's funded crusades, there are always escapees to search and hunt. Scathed or unscathed._

_There's also the rumor of a mysterious benefactor selling them wares to advance their quest of world domination… I wonder who could that be?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, apologies for the cliffhangers! See you soon, I hope!


	6. Cougar Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The misfit gang turns up the heat!

* * *

_~ COURTYARD, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, NOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

In the middle of the courtyard lies an injured girl on a broken and battered boy with worse hopes of survival.

The cushion Ren acted as dramatically reduced the potential magnifications on Shiho's body. However, that didn't prevent her from having internal hemorrhaging and her consciousness was fading. Fast.

The sound of two hospital cars arriving at the scene quickly overshadowed the courtyard's chatter. A pair of medical staff arrived to pick the near-dead Suzui up, before another team gathered Ren's remains, parking in an unseen alleyway. To no one's surprise, Ryuji chased the ambulance carrying Ren.

"Class is still in session!" One of the nameless teachers in the background yelled out to the crowd of students taking photos of Kamoshida's latest victim.

One of the staff handling Shiho shouted, "We need someone to go with her. Are there any teachers around?"

_"We should leave this to Kobayakawa…"_

_"I'm not part of her class, though…"_

' _These useless adults…'_ Ann thought. Without a moment's hesitation, she raised her voice, shouting, "I'll go!"

"Please hurry!"

The natural blonde ran to the moribund girl covered in bruises. Shiho whispered, "A-Ann…?"

She whimpers, "I'm sorry… I couldn't take it anymore…"

"Take what?" The girl at death's doors whispered something to her best friend, much to her shock and dismay. "Huh…? Kamoshida…!?"

The girl could say no more… for her voice has silenced and tongue stilled.

"Shiho…!? SHIHO!"

The crew urgently sent the unconscious girl into the ambulance, a stomp on the paddle quickly transporting Shiho and Ann away.

* * *

_~ DARK ALLEY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, NOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

Ren opened his eyes, trying to see if the crowd had completely dispersed… When his sight fully returned, he found himself in an ambulance.

But it wasn't any ambulance. It was a _Volkihar_ ambulance.

"Ah, I see you've awakened. Or should I say, pretended to be for the meantime." That haughty, smug voice…

" **Vingalmo**!?" Ren gurgled in the blood pouring out of his throat.

The masked figure sighed while pulling his bloody gloves. "Don't talk. I need you to spit all the blood trapped in your throat. Now, vomit into this tinplate. Your blood will be returned to headquarters to be properly disposed of."

"You're using it to prank Orthjolf, aren't you? I thought he and Stalf-Thrall were transferred to America." The dhampir spoke whilst vomiting the blood gathered in his throat.

The plate-carrying elf snorted, "Those idiots couldn't even handle a sip of Raspberry Schnapps, much less America. On the other hand-"

As the masked elf poured his family friend's blood into an IV bag, someone banged at the ambulance doors. Annoyed, Vingalmo puts on his surgical mask and opens the doors.

He looks down to see a blonde human. "What do you want?"

Said human had a mysterious aura coiled around his waist like a slithering snake. By the looks of it, it'd taste rusty as well. "My friend's in there and I would like to see him, please." asked the boy 'politely'.

Before the vampire could shoo away the vulgar boy, the wounded dhampir protagonist walked out to meet him.

"Hey, Ryuji," Ren greeted as Ryuji entered the van without Vingalmo's consent. "I should be fine right now. Fingers are reattached; head's a bit woozy, though…"

"Who's this guy?" Ryuji pointed at the surgeon elf.

"That's none of your-"

"My great-great-great grand uncle's secretary Vingalmo - arrogant, long nosed and doubtful - that's what his rival says about him." Ren bluntly put it in words.

Vingalmo rubbed his forehead exhaustedly, sighing, "Since my most trusted royalty entrusts his secrets to you, I have nothing else to hide."

He removes his surgeon attire, revealing his pale yellowy skin, golden-orange eyes, a pair of sharp fangs on his shriveled features and his pointy ears, much to the shock of Ryuji and {KEELHAULED}.

"I am Vingalmo - secretary of Maki Volkihar-Sonomura and last of the few Mer to traverse this planet."

"Mer? Like th' mermaids from th' Atlantic region?" A mechanical pirate asked from Ryuji's shoulder.

"I was one of the high elves. We excelled at everything and were a step above the others: Mer and men alike. However, the foolish acts of my brethren angered the Eight Divines, which led them to destroy Masser and wipe us out with their vile concoctions. Now, only those with the vampire blood remain to preserve our ancient history… until we lose ourselves, that is."

The two pirates were eye-widened with shock. "Whoa… so elves ARE real!? That's awesome!"

"What you call fantasies, we call history; though you are wiser than most, young man. Yes, we are indeed awesome." Vingalmo smirked. Ren must've inherited that shit-eating grin from him.

"Man, this is all so much to take in…" The blondie crossed his arms together, rhythmically tapping the floor. "I feel like I'm forgetting something…"

"By the way, how's Shiho?"

SNAP!

"Oh yeah, Suzui! And Kamoshida…! That bastard just teased the girl for being so weak in the first place! I don't give a rat's ass about him anymore!" The blondie violently stomped on the van.  
  


"Yes, now can you two do your man-handling _outside_ of the van? I just got it sanitized."

The three quickly exited the ambulance, allowing Vingalmo to drive it away from the duo.

"Man, what an ego." The blondie laughed. "Don't blame him. It's an elf thing. By the way, where's Morgana? I thought he tailed me-"

Just then, a black cat on a robotic man-cat landed next to the quartet. "There you are! Everyone else was leaving school early due to that incident of yours. What were you thinking!? That was incredibly reckless, even for a vampire like you!"

Ren jokes with his dagger-shaped tongue out. "I survived worse." His face turned serious. "Right now, we're lucky Ryuji didn't do anything TOO reckless to get us expelled-"

"HEY!" Said boy protested.

"Sorry. Now back to the matter at hand: we go to the Palace, sneak our way through and kill all Shadows getting in our way NOW. Any objections?"

The others simultaneously shook their heads. "Good. You still have those supplies, Ryuji?"

Ryuji nodded. "Yeah. I got us penicillin vials, DIY'd water balloons and Red Bull. Oh, and I got us some realistic-looking model guns from an airsoft shop near Central Street. I figure it'd come in handy when we enter a realm where human thoughts become real. Sort of."

Ren got a .32 ACP Beretta 70 with an 8-bullet magazine and light-fast trigger - perfect for acrobatic shots at various angles.

Ryuji got himself a Remington 11-87 - with semi-automatic functions and fast cycling for rapid ammo-slinging.

Morgana… got a comically huge slingshot.

"That's unusually smart of you, Ryuji- Hey, wait! Why don't I get a gun!?" The not-cat complained.

The other three giggled. "As if you can handle a human weapon…" They couldn't resist the urge and ended up laughing their asses off, and making the not-cat adorably angry.

"Alright, that's enough. By the way, how hard is it to get rid of a Palace? You have experience, right? Morgana?" Ren asked.

"When did I ever say that?" The not-cat replied, licking his feline wrists.

"WHAT!? Were you just pretending to know!?"

"Are you two going after Kamoshida?" They were followed! The mystery guest revealed themselves to be Ann. "I want in."

"No, we're going home… Don't follow." Ryuji melancholically muttered.

"It's for your own sake." Ren said, tilting his glasses.

Ann continued to push onto them, "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Not a chance." The artificial blondie sternly replied.

"After what happened to Shiho, I'm gonna castrate him and RAM A PIKE UP HIS ASS!"

The outburst sent shivers into the gang's spines. It also woke up the unconscious {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}.

' _Ugh, my head… Wait, did we just jump off a-'_

' _Yes.'_ Frizzy hair replied in his head.

' _Damn, boy! Good thing you're a blood-suckin' vampire or else we would have perished together!'_

"-DON'T GET IN OUR WAY!"

' _Wait, was that the blondie?'_

Begrudgingly holding back tears, the pigtailed smoothskin left the scene with clenched fists and an unbridled fury.

The cat on the table looked at Ryuji. "…That was harsh."

"We can't risk it. We're the only one here with Standsonas. She'll get trampled or slashed to bits in a matter of seconds. Worst of all, the things Shadow Kamoshida might do to her…"

The gang shivered intensely whilst they blocked off the horrid thoughts from their fragile minds.

"Anyways, we should gather by the alleyway. No one but us travels there. Come on, let's finish this as fast as possible."

The boys ran off into the Metaverse, unaware of a certain someone tailing them…

* * *

_~ ENTRANCE, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The gangs and their currently visible Standsonas were at the castle gate. Thanks to the biological flaw of hyperreality, their weapons can actually fire bullets, cut things and most importantly - harm Shadows. Their outfits looked nice too.

An excited blondie in his pirate attire began to exclaim, "All right! Time to sneak our way in!-"

"WHAT IS THIS!?" A familiar voice exploded out of nowhere.

"How in the-" The gang's eyes widened when they saw Ann Takamaki in the Metaverse. Exclamation marks popped out of the misfits' heads. "T-Takamaki!?"

"Wait, Ann's here!?" exclaimed a masked Ren.

"Sakamoto…!? And… Amamiya-kun!?" She noticed her schoolmates in strange cosplay gear, as well as {KEELHAULED}, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} and {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}, in that order. "M-m-m-MONSTERS!?"

{KEELHAULED} sarcastically grabbed onto his artificially created chest. "Yarr, that b' a cannonball t' me chest…"

{CAT SCRATCH FEVER} sadly lowered its head in distraught.

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} simply shrugged, "You ain't wrong, tho…"

"How did you get in here? Scratch that, _how_ are you here?" The armed pirate asked, an impatient frown visible under his mask, to which the confused girl replied, "How should I know!?"

She looks around the scenery. "…Wait, isn't this the school!?"

The misfit gang looked at each other. "I see. She must have been focusing on us while we were near her! Next time, we should go to a less populated area so we don't accidentally expose ourselves."

"For real…?" Ryuji muttered.

"Wait, so THIS is related to Kamoshida too!?"

"SHH!" The cartoon mascot shushed the girl. "The Shadows are going to find us if you make a scene."

The anthropomorphic cat whispered, causing the girl to step back in fear. "Ah! A monster cat!"

Morgana took a confidence blow to the heart. "Monster…?"

The pirate-serpent began to speak for Ryuji. "Alright, lass: Time t' make her walk the' plank when the sharks be done feedin'."

"Not until you explain all of this!" Well, that never worked.

The boys sighed, "Time to do this the old-fashioned way…"

Ren, Ryuji and the two 'monsters' approached the pigtailed blonde. "W-what are you two-"

* * *

_~ ONE CARGO UNLOADING MONTAGE LATER… ~_

"That wasn't in the plan…" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} said, scratching his mask.

"We were careless. Next time, we go to the rooftop." The others nodded. "No arguments from us."

"Alright, mateys! We got a booty-filled castle ta sink! Onwards!"

* * *

_~ MAIN HALL CORRIDORS, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The squad found an oddly convenient vent that led them into the rooms next to the main hall. The moment they left the 1st room, they heard an arrogantly pissed Shadow Kamoshida ordering the guards to search every nook and cranny for intruders.

Ignoring his boastful orders, they opened a door to another room - only for a Shadow guard with its back against the walls - where it hasn't even heard the creaking sounds behind it yet.

"Alright, you take the lead, Joker." The yellow-scarfed feline whispered.

"Joker?" That's his nickname?

"It's a codename. No phantom thief would use their real name. It's a precaution, since there's no telling what unconscious reaction will trigger if we yell out our real names in the Palace."

"But why Joker and not something like Lupin?" The thief wannabe asked. The not-cat replied, "That's because you're our trump card."

"Cool. It's settled, then."

"What about me?" A concerned pirate asked.

Morgana stared at Ryuji's mask and attire for a second, before replying, "Kidd."

"You might as well call me William. How about… **Skull**? 'Cause of the mask 'n all that." Ryuji casually replied.

"Whatever floats your boat. No pun intended." Frizzy hair rubs Mona's soft fur- Wait, Mona! "For Morgana, you'll be **Mona**."

"Fits me like a glove. I'm all in."

Just then, the Shadow from earlier had finally noticed the door. "Hmm? Who's there!?"

A stream of black dashed towards the guard. Disoriented, its mask was ripped off and out of its armor erupted a Beguiling Girl.

* * *

**AMBUSH!**

Mona began to explain. "Remember the All-out Attack? There's also another application related to it. When all enemies are downed, we can initiate a Hold Up. During the Hold Up, you can extort money or items from them. Since they come from the human heart, they should be able to talk normally."

The team mascot pointed his scimitar at the idle fairy. "Now knock it down and then communicate as if you're a robber. Got it?"

"This is morally unethical in so many ways, but at least it's just a meek Shadow…"

Nodding, the dhampir slowly stalked the fairy, waiting for a chance for a shot. When the Girl moved to the right by an inch, he quickly took his pistol and crippled it in an instant.

"SHAMONE!" BANG! The fairy is down!

_**HOLD UP!** _

The surrounded fairy began to panic and spew out nonsense, its insect wings flapping quicker than before.

"Please! Let me go! I promise I won't tell!" What real-looking tears were those! Too bad it has to die…

The dhampir was unfazed. "Give us the goods."

"Uh…" The fallen fairy stuttered.

Skull aimed his shotgun closer to the Shadow. "Cough it up; let 'em rip. Your call."

"Well, you see… I don't have anything on me right now…" Seriously? At a time like this!? "I-I usually do, you know!?"

"W-what? This went entirely out of my predictions…" Regaining his composure, the not-cat raised his slingshot towards the Girl. "Too bad, then. In that case, time for you to go to hell."

Its wings flapped even faster. Realistic tears washing off more of her makeup. "N-no…!"

The blondie responded with a grunt. "We're in a hurry."

"Enjoy Coldharbour, slut." Joker exclaimed with a cold exterior.

" **WHO ARE YOU CALLING SLUT!?** And where the hell is Coldharbour- Oh, you're the type with a cool exterior, aren't you? I totally understand you now."

Blue, sizzling flames began to erupt from its feminine dress. "Whoa, I feel different! Something's happening!"

"What the- What's going on!?" Mona and Skull both exclaimed.

_"…I remember now! I'm not King Kamoshida's pet… I'm an existence that drifts about in the sea of humanity's souls…"_

It twirled around, letting the flames consume its body. "My real name… is {PIXIE}! I'll be living inside your heart now!"

Blowing a kiss towards Ren, the {PIXIE} transformed into a ball of blue light, being assimilated into the mask on Ren's face.

"What was that just now…?"

"I think the Shadow's been absorbed into my mind. Or mask or something." The dhampir shrugged.

_'Hey, sweetie!'_

"Great. It's in my head now…" Joker muttered.

_'How rude to call me an 'it'! I'm a lady, just so you know!'_

"…And _she's_ got a personality too."

"Duuuude, you just converted a Shadow to your side!" Skull shouted out loud.

"Yeah, but I got less private space in that hollow skull of his…" jested {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} sitting on a fancy chair.

Just then, a guard walking down the corridor intercepts the gang. "Halt, intruders!"

"Crap, they noticed us!"

* * *

With a mighty swing with his anchor, the guard transformed into a duo of Dirty Two-horned Beasts. The horses each charged at them in the small room, prompting them to corner them.

According to past experiences, they're weak to electricity. Joker wonders if he could use {PIXIE}…

' _Come on, just take off your mask and summon me! I have skills that'll help!'_

Here goes, then… "{PIXIE} - Zio!"

A lightning bolt from above struck the Beast on the right, knocking it down.

_**1 MORE!** _

"Whoa! What an awesome power…!" The masked pirate exclaimed. "I ain't backin' down down!"

"Again, {PIXIE}! Make it snappy!"

With a snap of his fingers, another lightning bolt struck an escaping Beast. As it got electrocuted, its hooves went out of balance which caused it to crash its face onto the wall, causing it to quickly melt into nothingness.

_**HOLD UP!** _

The horned Beasts on the ground had different personalities - irritable and annoyed. According to Illusion class, he should probably take a different approach…

"Join us - we have carrots!" The other two readied their firearms. "Screw you! I'm no horse- Wait, I remember now!"

The horse's details burst into blue flames. "I'm {BICORN}, who gains strength from impurity! No need for honorifics, son…"

The green-horned {BICORN} transformed into another ball of blue light, forcibly entering Joker's mask as if it were a Shadow battery or sorts.

As their Standsonas (and grossly Shadows) began devouring the sludge, the three thieves began their conversation. "Hey, Mona! What was that about!? How did Joker do that!?"

"He transmogrified Shadows into allies of unique traits, and made them his own. But I've never seen anyone do that before… I didn't even know it was possible!"

Frizzy hair smirked, "Protagonist power, huh? Very useful for consecutive battles."

"You're right. With the power to interchange strengths, weaknesses and skills, you're virtually unstoppable at full potential!" Mona happily pointed out.

The blondie and his pirate friend pumped their fists up. "Hell yeah! Let's keep this up!"

* * *

_~ MAIN HALL LEFT CORRIDOR, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The boys reached the castle's miniature armory, with a few guards in the way. Not wanting to fight, the three dodged every last one of them.

Except the one blocking the door.

Without any other options, Ren ripped its mask off as it began to transform into a trio of {BICORNS}. The one in the middle, however, was pulsing with purple, enigmatic energy from its exterior. It also just… stood there, not even attacking.

"Whoa, a Shiny Shadow!?"

Morgana began to explain. "Nothing of the sort! These things are Disaster Shadows - stringer variants of said enemies. Bad news is they can immediately counterattack after we damaged them, making them difficult foes,"

"And the good news?" The other four asked.

"You'll see it when you defeat them."

_'And before you ask, we lost our memories about this place the moment we're not Shadows anymore. Good riddance, I'd say.'_

The dhampir rubbed his pale cheeks. "{BICORN} says he's forgotten everything about the place."

"Don't worry; it's weak to thunder, right?" Ryuji equipped a rusty gauntlet. "Patch me up, {KEELHAULED}!"

"I ain't no kissy-boo, but I know what ya mean!" The gauntlet was ejected from Skull's fist like a propelling rocket, rendering it unable to counterattack.

Joker and Mona followed up with a Thunderstorm which annihilated the Disaster {BICORN}, creating an enormous eruption of dark energies, friendly firing the rest of its party as well.

At the sight of raining yen, the six ran to gather up as much as possible. "Shiver me timbers! This one dropped more than th' last few swimmers!"

The not-cat spotted a small shimmer under the slowly-devoured sludge pile. "Take a look at this - we got a jewel. Looks like it'll fetch us a good price… Do any of you know a broker?"

"We'll figure out that one later. Right now, I think the explosion attracted more guards to our location."

"Aw yeah! Time ta boogie!" The Twilight Dancer exclaimed, much to the dismay of the horned stead and fairy.

And from the guards emerged - a Brutal Cavalryman on its bright red steed and simple, shining armor!

"Hmph! This castle is not your plaything, children!"

To which the other horse, {BICORN} replied, "That's 'cause it'd be your grave, asshole."

With that said, {BICORN} bursts out of Ren's mask, letting the three hop onto his back before engaging in a chivalry battle with the spear-wielding Horseman.

A Cleave from the knight's pointy spear toppled the pillars of the room. Despite the pillars' destruction, however, the room's ceiling didn't even flinch or shake.

Alien physics are weird…

As both steeds let out a strong neigh, they charged at each other as their riders jumped into midair, with their weapons at hand.

* * *

_~ ENTRANCE, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

A pigtailed blonde walks toward the castle, with her phone in her hand.

"I got back here with this weird app on my phone after I was forced out… Then, I just clicked travel history and-"

"Princess?" A squad of black guards ran towards their supposed 'princess', mistaking her for someone else.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" Ann was immediately swarmed.

* * *

_~_ _SAFE ROOM, LEFT CORRIDOR, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The exhausted gang laid their heads on the luxurious couches in the safe room. It took a lot of stamina just to successfully get a single Cleave at the horse's head; it also took a lot more when they had to electrocute the Cavalryman into submission.

Ren momentarily lost a limb, his right eye and jaw. Ryuji got a black eye and a slightly fractured skull. Luckily, Morgana's healing spell whipped them back to tip-top shape as if video game logic applied in the Metaverse. It is the human unconscious, after all.

In the end, they gained another ally named {BERITH}, who was tending to the group's horses.

"Why are there even more Shadows here than before? Just gettin' this far has been a real pain in my ass!" Skull complained.

"It must be because of the latest incident. He DOES seem awfully on guard…" The not-cat analyzed.

"To get to the Treasure, we need to secure an infiltration route. When we're done with that, I'll-"

A Shadow's voice interrupted their idle banter. "Why was the princess outside the place?"

"I could have sworn we were pursuing the readings of an intruder…" The other replied.

"Who cares? We must take her to King Kamoshida at once!"

Mona decided to go investigate. "Stay here."

He attached his legs to the ceiling with {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}'s like a spider, going unseen by the Shadows' terrible sight.

That left the dhampir and his trusty blondie in the room. "So many questions in my mind right now…"

"What for?" The dhampir and dancer both asked.

"Stuff like the realm where repressed human thoughts become real and that nose-man dream of yours… But Aeshma's existence bums be out the most."

"I get you," He takes out a burger from his hammerspace. "Want a snack?"

The pirate snatched the burger from his hands. Not without saying "Thanks."

As the two began to eat, the not-cat urgently ran into the safe room without saying much. "It's Lady Ann!"

"Lady Ann…? Crap, it's Takamaki! We gotta go. NOW!" The duo shoved their burgers into their hammerspaces, urgently following the not-cat to her location.

* * *

_~ TORTURE CHAMBER, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

Before our protagonists could save Ann from her… unfortunate proposition, the thieves engaged themselves in a fierce questioning argument.

"How did she get back here!?"

"Maybe she got the Meta-Nav like how you did when you stumbled into this place with me!" Frizzy hair explained his theory.

"We can talk later! Joker, Skull, brace yourselves!"

"THRILLER NIGHT!"

Just then, a blast of electricity, wind and curse magics drove a hole through the doors, alerting Kamoshida and his loyal subjects of the thieves' presence.

The gang came in like a crew of thieves and monsters on their steady steeds. "Guess what, perv!? You're not our king anymore!"

"I knew I shouldn't have a king from the start!" {BERITH} the blasphemous yelled out.

The king scoffed back at the betrayers and the thieves with the gall to invade his castle. "Traitorous scum. Take a look around…"

As the thieves and their Standsonas stared at the room, their eyes grew wide with immense disgust and horror…

The room was filled with projections of half-naked Shujin students, in lustful positions that would make pedophiles go ROCK HARD. Okay, that came out wrong. No wait, this is all humanly disturbing!

Ryuji, {BERITH} and {BICORN} (ironically the tough ones) wanted to puke, while the others simply expressed immense disgust on their faces.

But the shocker was when they saw… "Takamaki!" On one of those torture devices seen in the Dark Net.

The party ran over to the helpless girl, alongside Shadow Kamoshida, his guards and Fake Ann. He didn't even hesitate to look annoyed. "And just when I was about to bust out my special move…"

"What's the deal with this guy!?" Ann struggled.

"You cockalorum…!"

The robed molester sighed deeply, "First you ransack MY place the first time you came, now you return to torture me, is that it!?"

He turns to pigtails on an X-shaped torture device. "I bet you came back because you're pissed at me, no? Have you ever considered why that other chick jumped off? It's your fault, you know."

"Huh…?"

"You wanted to be selfless, taking her place and throwing yourself at me. So instead…" He laughs maniacally. "I did the opposite, and gave her the Kamo-drill-da!"

The thieves tried so hard not to have the worst mental image…

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"

The elite guard in front of her began to move forward.

"NO!" Ryuji shouted out for her. His reply? Two swords near the throat of poor Ann from the nearby guards.

"Move a step and she dies. Now sit back, and enjoy the dismemberment show…"

Gritting his teeth, the helpless blondie and his associates moved back one step to avoid Takamaki's one-step-early execution.

"No! Don't! I beg you…!" Her tears are so… delicious.

"Maybe I'll start with her clothes…" He slurped. With his supernaturally long tongue.

"Hahaha, you're such a perv!" giggled the playful Fake Ann.

"H-hey, what do we do!?"

The guards approached Ann, ready to strike. In her last few moments, she despairs, "Is this… my punishment for what happened to Shiho…?"

"That's the spirit!" The Shadowy King taunted.

"Shiho… I'm so sorry…"

"KAMOSHIDA'S THE REAL CULPRIT HERE!" Yelled out the frizzy haired dhampir.

Speech check 100%! "…You're right… He's the real bastard here."

Resolution rising… "Letting this piece of shit toy with me…" She lets out a sarcastic laugh, continuing, "What was I thinking…!?"

"I'll make this clear and sound: a slave obeys-"

"Shut. The fuck. Up. I've had enough of this…" Anger began to slowly crawl out of her throat. "You're going down, you pedophiliac rapist!"

* * *

_~ ANN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

A Shadow is the repressed emotions and thoughts of oneself. In front of Ann… was her dear Shadow.

' _So we're finally having 'the talk', huh?'_ The doppelganger giggled.

"You make it sound creepy."

_'That makes two of us…'_ Shadow Ann wrapped her hands across her other self's waists. _'We both suffered so much… I think it's time to rebel and watch them burn.'_

Anger burned inside the pigtailed blonde as she slapped off the hands. "Vengeance… Yes, I want to see Kamoshida burn for what she did for Shiho!"

The golden-eyed figure laughed aloud, impressed by her own theatrics and courage. _'Very good! Now repeat after me: I am thou, thou art I… Men are nothing but savage beasts, and must be tamed and treated as such!'_

"I am thou, thou art I… Men are nothing but savage beasts, and must be tamed and treated as such!"

The two Anns closed their eyes as red flames consumed the very void they were in…

* * *

_~ TORTURE CHAMBER, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

_'It has taken far too long…'_

Pain echoed through the blonde's head, as if a nail had been drilled into her skull.

_'You cling onto your precious mask so much, you've forgotten to even look at what's around you…'_

She shakes and struggles on her torture device, tears and drool coming out of her eyes and mouth like a rabid canine…

_'Look at where your friend is now - her mind now trapped in her sleeping body! And NOW you've reached the peaks of your anger!'_

The screaming ceased.

' _I am thou, thou art I… It's time we finally forge our contract.'_

"I have to… {TAKE IT OFF}."

A red, panther-like mask sparked into existence, attached to Ann's face, forcing Shadow Kamoshida to back a step with a face filled with dread-drenched sweat. "You're right. Time to break it off…!"

With a burst of strength, the masked blonde easily broke out of her restraints. _'You go, girl. Nothing is solved by sealing yourself.'_

She grabs her mask and begins to rip it out. _'Understood? Then I'm a part of you for all eternity…'_

Just like Ryuji's first summoning, blood flew out of Ann's face as a pillar of blue flames erupted beneath her, the pressure emitted knocking down some of the weaker guards at a minute's notice.

From the extinguishing flames revealed a new figure: a black, plastic bust wearing a pink wig with pinktails and a v-shaped dress with wavy, transparent collars. Its face is composed of a nose, mouth and nothing more. Its mouth seemed to be secreting some sort of red gas.

As for Ann, her Shujin uniform transformed into a skin-tight scarlet latex catsuit with a V-shaped cutout and a cat tail. She additionally wore a pair of mahogany thigh-high boots and shoulder-tall gloves.

The thieves stared at awe, witnessing their new member's Standsona. "An ego in the shape of a bust? Remarkable for a woman…"

Without hesitation, the girl runs to the nearest guard, kicks its sword up midair before leaping towards it, landing to slash Fake Ann with a fatal blow. As the fake slut melted into sludge, the Shadow kin stepped back to let his elite guard do the dirty work.

"Let me tell you something, fuckface. I'm not some cheap toy for you to play with…"

"Bitch!" was all the sweating Kamoshida could say, looking at Ann, Skull, Mona and Joker's legion of Shadows with terror in his eyes.

"You destroyed Shiho… Robbed her of her virginity… Now it's your turn!"

Infuriated at the blonde's taunts, the elite guard and its lackeys melted into sludge piles that merged with each other to form a giant, purple-horned… toilet demon.

"I've had enough of you! Let's go, {TAKE IT OFF}!"

* * *

**FIGHT!**

The battle begins as the constipating Guard Captain talks shit about the thieves, "Prepare to serve King Kamoshida… as glorified feces!"

"Shut it! I'm gonna shove your flat ass into that toilet of yours!" The squad members individually did their poses. "Turn up the heat, {TAKE IT OFF}!"

As commanded, the levitating bust breathed out a gusting breath of Agi, severely limiting the Captain's mobility. From its reaction, it can be deduced that fire is its weakness. The only problem is the flying toilet it's sitting on…

Unable to hit it, the Guard screamed as a Mabufu blizzard shot through the end of the toilet like a broken sewer pipe. It directly impacted {BERITH} and Mona. Their bodies frozen like a carved ice statue.

"Shit… You two, tend to Mona! And {BERITH} as well!" {PIXIE} and {BICORN} nodded, taking the cat cavalry with them to the far corner as they melted that icy layer covering them.

Meanwhile, Ren and {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} tried punching the demon itself, only for the fists to be slightly out of their reach. With a bash from the toilet, the duo were smashed against a wall.

Groaning, the dhampir yelled, "Hey, Ann! Each Standsona has an ability; use it or we'll all be covered in shitstorms!"

Forcing a little more will into herself, {TAKE ME OFF} breathed out a torrent of pink gas, much to the others' confusion. When the smoke covered the entire room, everyone but Ann felt their agility fade a bit.

"What was that!?" Ryuji exclaimed, dodging the massive winds from Captain Toilet, before it prepared itself to unleash a more powerful magic attack. Ann's rosy bust explained, "That was my ability - I can secrete pheromone-controlling gases at my user's command - to a certain degree and time span."

"What an ability fitting for a woman! However, it has friendly fire…" The recently frozen knight and not-cat nodded, they looked at the weakened demon, "Enough chatter, feline! Everyone, at our leader's command!"

Everyone on land rode on either {BERITH} or {BICORN}, galloping towards the floating demon posthaste. When it released a concentrated Mabufu towards the very ground it floats on, it was too late…

Both horses suddenly stopped at their tracks as they flinged their passengers onto the Guard Captain, causing it to frantically float around, in an attempt to shake them off.

Everyone grabbing onto the toilet began to repeatedly stab and shoot at the demon's rear. It was the skintight blonde's Agi spell which created an explosion that knocked the demon onto the solid floor.

Since when did Ann get her hands on a tommy gun?

**HOLD UP!**

"Impossible… How can I lose… to peasants such as you lot!?"

The girls of the team scoffed, "Please. Outside that school, that guy's just a pathetic loser!"

The gang then proceeded to unleash their signature move - the All-out Attack! A beautifully chaotic canvas of black and red splattered across the stained carpets of the torture room.

Landing and twirling happily, Ann gave a V sign as she did an angled pose.

"Aren't we the best?"

**OMG WE ARE SO AWESOME!**

* * *

Shortly after the climax, the pigtailed blonde tiredly rested her legs, sitting on the floor.

Panicking at the corner was Shadow Kamoshida, who had already run off to alert his guards, not wanting to meet a demise similar to his incompetent guards.

"Wait…!"

"Calm down! It's post-awakening exhaustion, and I've been there before!" Mona glares at the vulgar blondie. "Hey! Is that how you speak to a woman!? Are you alright, Lady Ann?"

"Lady Ann…? Wait, what is this thing? Is it alive… and how can it talk? And… where in the world are we!?" Rapid-fire questions.

"Calm down, titties. The world'll be a whole lot safer once we get out." yelled out an irritable {BICORN}, with {PIXIE} dangling her legs with {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} on his back.

Using the not-cat's massive head for support, she slowly stood up. "How can I stay calm!?" To her sudden realization, she realized her attire had changed.

"H-huh!?" She yelled out in disbelief, immediately covering herself and kneeling on the floor. "When am I dressed like this!?"

"Ryuji's not complaining." Ren jested with his ghastly friends.

"U-uh, I… uh…" The anchor-wielding pirate stuttered. His serpentine friend seemed to be laughing his ass off.

"I- I can't stay calm like this!" Everyone else facepalmed. It was Morgana who broke the silence. "Well, I'm stumped. A search party will be coming soon. There's no time to explain. Get on the horses! Go, go, go!"

The phantom thieves quickly mounted onto {BICORN}'s back and {BERITH}'s steed and charged straight for the exits.

* * *

_~ RAILWAY STATION, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, NOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

The thieves had retreated from the Metaverse and Ryuji bought drinks for everyone. The other four pondered over the choice.

"That one." Ann took the soda.

"Here." Ryuji said, tossing Ren a bottle of carbonated lemon. The cat on the dhampir's shoulder was ruffled from not getting a drink, but decided to ignore it when he checked on their newest potential member.

"Have you calmed down, Lady Ann?" The blonde turned to face him. "This is all so strange… I've encountered a dhampir AND a talking cat…"

She covered her mouth. "Oh, sorry! You're not a cat, right?"

"It's natural for humans to be confused. Demanding that you understand all of this right after what you went through is too much for you to handle." The not-cat explained.

The blonde replied, "Honestly, I still can't believe what happened… my power… my Standsona…" Just then, Ann's female bust manifested out of thin air.

"Did someone call for me?" {TAKE IT OFF} asked. The rest of the others popped out of their users' heads.

"Whaddup?"

"Y'arr!"

"So NOW they decide to show up…" A blondie pirate scoffed.

"Wow… They're like… guardian spirits." The girl was surprised. "It's the manifestation of your ego and rebellion, Lady Ann. With it, you'll be able to fight in that other world. And this one, too."

"Like this?" An invisible mist of pink gas shot through Ann's nails and into the train station, engulfing the masses in a surge of uncontrollable emotion that forced them to drool and sweat madly.

The misfit gang looked in horror. "What the hell was that!?"

"I secreted my custom pheromones, causing them to feel what you humans refer to as 'sexual tension'." A poor choice of words.

Looking at the massive coughing and drooling, the pirates stuck their tongues out in disgust. "Not goin' in there… How about we go get some food, eh?"

"What kind?" Ren's tongue slurped his bottom lips instinctively. "I want meat."

"Don't worry," Ryuji lightly punched the dhampir's chest. "I know a good place. You comin', Ann?"

She nodded. "Great! Let's go, then!"

* * *

_~ BEEF BOWL STORE, SHIBUYA, AFTERNOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

The Standsonas let the tastes their users were experiencing flow through their ethereal forms. If they had mouths, they would be drooling madly…

While feasting at the large beef bowls in front of them, the human thieves took their time listening to their unofficial leader's backstory and how he and his vampire clan were threatened by the foolish assault victim.

The story earned much ire from the rest of the team. "The hell, man! How much shittier can that asshole get!?"

"This is so unfair! How could someone like that exist!?" Ann furiously replied.

"He be best off walkin' the plank!" Followed {KEELHAULED}.

"I agree with {KEELHAULED}. That kind of person is the kind who definitely needs a change of heart. Do you remember anything, Joker?"

Ren knocked his own cranium a few times… He were sadly in vain and devoid of the memories of that person's face.

"Couldn't see much. I just know that he used some kind of power on me… I think he might have a Standsona."

Morgana and the others widened their eyes. "Standsona users can't have a Palace. Looks like we'll have to resort to other methods."

"Figure out their identities and kidnap their loved ones. For a bonus, burn down their house as well." {TAKE IT OFF} the black bust suggested.

A collective "No!" quickly waved off her suggestion. "So, you left Inaba, and you're livin' here now, huh?"

"Curry an' a Cup of Joe every mornin's pretty neat, if we say so ourselves!" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} said. The other Shadows in Ren's mind were more eager to try it out.

"Hmm, we might be all alike that I thought…" The blondie wondered, much to the others' wariness. "Well, it's more of a… background check, I guess. I mean we three here were all treated like pains in the asses by the people around us, like we don't belong."

Ryuji's mood soured. "You know what I did in the past. Prety stupid of me," He then chugs down the entire beef bowl, only to choke himself loudly. The pigtailed blonde patted his back and cough went the choke! "Eat slower, idiot!"

"Sorry, sorry…" She'd make a fine wife for him.

Noticing the dhampir's smug smirk and the not-cat's glare, the two separated with each other.

The track runner pulled out his phone. "Now we prepare for Kamoshida. We don't have a deadline, but I suggest we hurry it up until the next board meeting so the cockalorum doesn't shift the blame on us with his status as the 'rumor king'. I know a place where we can sell all that crap we found in the Palace and get us some decent weapons."

The others kept listening to his plans. "We're also gonna need some healing supplies, too. Furball said medicinal crap in that Metaverse thingie insta-heals since people think drugs are nigh-omnipotent healers or somethin'. Anyways, RenRen and I can go find us a place to buy meds 'n weapons."

"Good," The Catwoman ripoff possessed blazing determination on her eyelids as she gripped her legs. "I won't let anymore people suffer because of him."

* * *

_~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

' _I am_ _ **thou**_ _, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a_ _**new** _ _vow._

_It shall expand your rebellious heart_

_that_ _**fills** _ _your heart with kindness._

_With the_ _**awakening** _ _of the Lascivious Lovers,_

_You have obtained the curse of emotion that_

_shall lead to_ _**empathy** a_ _nd infinite power…'_

A tarot card of the Lovers tied with chains appears before him. Instantaneously, the chains break, revealing the picture of three figures accusing each other with their fingers, while a cupid above was aiming a heart-shaped arrow at the right one.

_'The masks of Lovers begin to crack! Continue on your journey so that you may ascend to the very heavens above!'_

* * *

_~ ATTIC, CAFE LEBLANC, YOGEN-JAYA, EVENING, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

As the phantom thieves finished their meals, everyone quickly returned home. Morgana followed Ren in his duffle bag, wanting to stay with him for the time being.

The frizzy-haired teen opened his bag on his bed, letting the not-cat breathe in some not-so-fresh air. Seeing the tidied attic, he complained, "Augh, is this some kind of abandoned house!?"

"Hey, are you-" The grumpy manager heard the loud meowing downstairs and came to check up on him. Nothing out of the ordinary, he guessed. "No wonder I heard meowing… What'd you bring him up here for?"

"How did you-"

The manager copied the kid's shit-eating grin. "Surprised? I had experience. And you do know he's your responsibility, right?"

"Guess cat pot stew's back on the menu, Boss." Okay, that was unintended.

Sighing to the sarcastic response Sojiro gave, he quickly left the room. When he got back, a plate of sliced fish was on his hand. Putting it down, the manager turned to the problem child. "You're lucky I have a soft spot for cats. Make sure it doesn't disturb the customers down there, and just to clarify: he's your responsibility. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah." Ren nodded. To the coffee brewer's satisfaction, he left to close the store.

The not-cat looked at his new caretaker while nibbling on his fish. "Was that the ruler of this place? He seemed pretty understanding for someone who puts you in this dump. Then again, I suppose non-Standsona users can't understand what I'm saying."

{CAT SCRATCH FEVER} began scratching the couch on its own, much to the {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s dissatisfaction. "Move it, tin cat! We just had that cleaned up!"

Their users sweatdropped at the scene they were causing before they looked back at each other. "As for our deal: you taking care of me won't be a one-way deal. I'll make it up for you by granting you some knowledge of thievery - intel on infiltration tools - exactly."

"Share with me what you know, would you kindly?" Time to make a deal with the not-cat. "Settle down. I can't tell you more unless we settle on a deal. In exchange for keeping me here, I'll teach you about these tools."

"How does that sound?"

Rubbing against Morgana's soft, black fur, he stated. "Pfft, I'd be a fool to refuse."

The collared feline replied with a cocky smirk. "I like that answer. Hehehe… then it's a deal."

' _I made a deal with Morgana…'_

* * *

_~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

Wait, I'm having a Social Link with a cat!? How does that even- nevermind, roll with it.

' _I am_ _ **thou**_ _, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a_ _**new**_ _vow._

_It shall_ _**enhance** _ _your wings of rebellion_

_that_ _**enforces** _ _the power of your bonds._

_With the_ _**awakening** _ _of the Mystic Magician,_

_You have obtained the curse of kinship that_

_shall lead to_ _**companionship** _ _and infinite power…'_

A tarot card of the Magician tied with chains appears before him. Instantaneously, the chains break, revealing the picture of a sinister man crafting murder weapons on a bloodied, messy desk.

' _The wisdom of the Magician slowly reveals itself! Continue on your journey so that you may gain fruit from your crafty wits!_

* * *

_~ ATTIC, CAFE LEBLANC, YOGEN-JAYA, EVENING, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

Just then, Aeshma walked out of Ren's closet. "I have knowledge as well. Let me make deal too."

"How long were you in there?" Asked both Mona and Joker.

"One to two days but does not matter. I am older than calculator can handle, and I provide spiritual guidance for team. yes? I can make Stands more powerful with augmentations, as well as awaken true vampire potential inside you while cat can take care of tools."

He held out a skeletal hand for the two. "How that sound?

"Count us in, horn boy." Ren gave him a fist pump.

"No arguments here." The not-cat placed his paw on Aeshma's hand.

' _Wow, three Social Links in a row! I'm on fire!'_

* * *

_~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

Again? Doesn't matter if I'm getting benefits…

' _I am_ _ **thou**_ _, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a_ _**new** _ _vow._

_It shall_ _**envelop** _ _your swords of rebellion_

_that_ _**sears** _ _torment into the flesh of foes._

_With the **a**_ _**wakening** _ _of the King of Cups,_

_You have obtained the curse of wrath that_

_shall lead to_ _**destruction** _ _and infinite power…'_

A tarot card of the King of Cups tied with chains appears before him. Instantaneously, the chains break, revealing the picture of a demonic figure snapping a cup made of smiling and weeping faces, darkened liquids pouring out of each of them.

' _An ancient power calls out for you in hunger! Continue on your journey so that you may become power incarnate!_

* * *

_~ ? GROUP HEADQUARTERS, EVENING, SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2033 ~_

In an office room wide enough to hold a banquet, a red-headed woman was contacting someone else to discuss the recent… paranormal cases.

"How are the repairs going, Nanjo?"

"Nothing to worry about, Kirijo. However, I am still concerned about the incident regarding the 'Lovecraftian' situation Shibuya city just took. It's obvious that something - or someone - was performing some sort of summoning ritual to bring forth something disastrous to the human world."

Kirijo was holding a book named 'The History Before Masser'. "I agree as well. My inside source reveals that it's a Wrath Demon, which could explain the red energy structures coming from the sewers. Worst of all, it's a powerful one so it would take all our efforts to properly contain it."

Nanjo agrees. "Very well, then. Yamaoka, call for anyone available. We need all the help we can get before the situation spirals out of our control." He coughed a bit. "I'll see you soon then, Kirijo."

"You too." 

CLICK!

As the line went dead, a malevolent figure manifested out of the shadows of the room. "How was the chat?"

"Troublesome. The moment young Amamiya gets transferred to Tokyo, an incident like that had to happen near his place. Could it be…?"

The shaded figure snickered. "You're not far, titsy. I can sense a presence I haven't sensed for ages. Better call the kids together for a… full-on raid, for lack of a better word."

"I already have Hamuko and Akihiko at Aoyama-Itchome. I'll contact them as soon as possible. In the meantime, Aka Manah, I have a task for you."

As the figure rambled on, the moonlight revealed his features: a humanoid figure in a custom crimson tuxedo with demonic emblems and runes stitched onto it. Did we mention the skeletal features and goat head yet? "What is it now?"

The elegant redhead replied with a genuine smile. "There appears to be some unauthorized information brokers in our ranks. I need you to sort them out _alive_ and find evidence regarding their actions."

"Will I get octo-balls?"

"Deal." With that said, the demonic being fades out of existence.

Holding the book she had before, Kirijo gazed at the city of Port Island, preparing for the coming tempest…

* * *

_~ STANDSONA INFO ~_

_{TAKE IT OFF}_

_APPEARANCE:_ _{TAKE IT OFF} takes the form of a black, plastic bust of a human female with only partially complete facial features in a v-shaped rose dress of bright pink._ _The dress has a dark red background with diagonal patterns of shadowed hearts and lipstick marks, alongside wavy collars of pink, with a_ _pink wig worn by the bust's head._

_TRAIT: Second Drink - Low chance to reduce magic attack cost by 25%._

_POWERS:_ _By being near to any person, Ann can freely adjust their pheromones to indirectly control their emotions. These pheromones have a lifespan of a few minutes._

_Any damage {TAKE IT OFF} takes is automatically reflected to the provoker._

_Thanks to the growing tides of the Sea of Souls, Shadows can now cast all kinds of spells on their own, without needing to draw mana from a greater being. They used the human psyche to grant themselves strengths and weaknesses to magic. However, they are sometimes incredibly random and non-sensical; in comparison to the lore their figures were based on._

_{TAKE IT OFF} is resistant to Fire magic but is weak to_ _Ice magic._

_STATS:_

_Power: D_

_Speed: N/A_

_Range: D_

_Durability: A_

_Precision: A_

_Potential: E_

_SKILLS:_ _Agi,_ _Dia_

* * *

_~ SHADOW INFO ~_

_{PIXIE}_

_TRAIT: Playfulness -_ _Single-target healing magic skills have a chance to apply to all allies._

_SKILLS:_ _Zio, D_ _ia_

* * *

_{BICORN}_

_TRAIT: Rider -_ _You always go first even if another foe has higher Agility than you._

_SKILLS:_ _Cleave,_ _Rakukaja,_ _Tarukaja_

* * *

_~ ROYAL WIND LORE HOUR ~_

_[OPERATION YNJU]_

_NOTE: Ynju stands for 'survival' in Arabic._

_Before the Jurrasic era, the original supernatural races of ancient Earth - the high elves, wood elves, dark elves, khajiit (cat people) and orcs - were at the brink of extinction after Masser - a forgotten moon - was impacted out of orbit by a stray_ _meteorite._

_The meteorite contained argon which was considered poisonous to Mer (elven species), which easily spread throughout the planet within a week's span. Facing extinction, the Mer seeked help from the Eight Divines, who were too helpless to assist them._

_Enraged by their gods' futility, they turned to the more nefarious ones out of desperation. A lucky group managed to summon THE Ahriman (Akoman's father) - who opened up a dimensional gateway to his realm beyond the circles of hell. The price? Eternal loyalty and servitude._

_The khajiit evolved into smaller, more agile forms as time passed. They hid well among their relatives - the felidae - and have lived in the shadows for a very long time…_

_Meanwhile, the argonians have evolved into the common lacertilia, or lizards for short, we see in the wild. Unlike the khajiit, they have lost their intelligence to the sands of time. Theories for their loss of intellect stem from genetic degradation or the overly harsh environments they inhabit, where intelligence isn't worth the energy and effort._

_The only Mer left are the vampires, since the nocturnal species are immune to all types of poison and disease, they live on to tell the tales of the old earth to tongue-shut archaeologists; when will humanity be ready for more supernatural elements is another story._

_Note: In this universe, argon is poisonous to Mer. Symptoms include irrational thinking, heavy breathing, bleeding lungs and total organ failure when inhaled in large quantities - which was always the case back then since the meteorite's arrived._

* * *

_[THE TARTARUS CRUSADERS]_

_In 2009, a group of Standsona users nicknamed the Tartarus Crusaders explored the Dark Hour - a supernatural phenomenon that occurs for an hour every night as a time anomaly that takes place during 12:00 AM, and serves as the 25th hour hidden between one day and the next._

_As the phenomenon took place, non-Standsona users are transmogrified into coffins and remember nothing that happens during the Dark Hour once they awaken. Because of this, the general public was unaware of its existence. During this hidden hour, Shadows - creatures formed by the repressed emotions of mankind - will be able to move freely at this time._

_However, unlucky ones who don't transmogrify automatically will either have their psyches and minds devoured by the Shadows; if one's negative emotions are powerful enough, they even become Shadows themselves._

_The source of the nefarious Dark Hour was Nyx - the human death aspect - who wishes to free mankind from its torment via a simple solution: death. If not for Minato and Hamuko Arisato - twin adventurers with the Wild Card and astral hosts to Aka and Vohu Manah - sealing it away for all eternity, all humans would have their psyches forcibly separated from them, turning them into living vegetables or the public term - Apathy Syndrome._

_While the twins were fated to die, the Manah Brothers' interference prevented that. This heavily upsets another figure (not Nyx or Erebus, as they're entirely mindless) which I won't be revealing for a very long time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mixing Elder Scrolls lore with SMT lore... What kinda drugs did I take to make this!?


	7. Vigilante Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introductions to the Hanged Man and Death Confidant with a minor twist!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even villains have character development! I also know that there's a level limit to fusing or allying Personas until a certain Confidant, so don't bug me about this!

* * *

_~ UNTOUCHABLE, CENTRAL STREET, SHIBUYA, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

It's a nice day to not have school! Using the free time provided, Ren and Mona decided to travel to the airsoft shop the blondie was blubbering about.

As they entered the store, a shady-looking man sucking a lollipop was sitting by a glass counter displaying a set of impressive-looking rifles to neatly tidied hunting rifles. The entire place is an armory - the shelves are stocked

The man wore a gray cap with yellow ear defenders that cover his gray flat cut and sideburns, a black turtleneck sweater underneath a long grey coat with a red peace symbol on it, blue jeans and dark boots. A tattoo of a gecko is present on the left side of his neck.

Ryuji walked up to the man with a tough-looking (though idiotic) look. "Anything on the recommended lists?"

Raising an eyebrow, Mr. Gecko scoffed and took out his lollipop. "Just pick anything that looks pretty, kid."

"That wasn't a question."

Gecko, looking surprised, hid a small smile under his unimpressed face of his. He tried towering over the dhampir, but they were of the same height so that can't be bothered.

"Ha! You think you're tough? I've seen action even worse than a juvenile bloodsucker like you, Mr. Volkihar," He looks at Ren's shirt with intrigue. "I'll let you win this round. Your clan's not one to be trifled with."

From the leather handbag Ren was holding, Morgana whispered to him to be careful.

"I don't gloat with titles; unlike the Americanos and tan-faced Trump," Frizzy Hair insulted. "Asia's got enough shit to deal with after the Covid-19 outbreak."

"Hmph. Looks like someone did their homework…" He slurped his lollipop.

The pirates looked at each other before replying, "We're getting off-track here. Look, I'll take a 20-gauge Benelli M3 to go."

"Make mine a Soviet PPSh-41."

"I want a crossbow!" Whispered the not-cat in the bag.

"And a catch-of-the-day crossbow." Added RenRen and Saka-chan. The man sighed before grabbing a diminutive box. "Here - it's a Barnett Predator - fast, silent and deadly. Just don't expect it to work in a real hunting session, though."

Nodding, the dhampir began to dump all he found in Kamoshida's Palace onto the counter. The items include a golden statue of Kamoshida, sword hilt fragments, unused condoms etc. The store's manager, confused and creeped out, looked at the duo with intimidatingly weary eyes.

"Where the fuck did you get all this?"

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} appeared next to his user and whispered, "Tell 'em it's from your relatives or somethin'…"

Wide-eyed, Gecko stared at the Twilight Dancer. "Hold up, you have those things too? That ghost guy who could appear out of nowhere?"

The thieves (even {KEELHAULED}) looked at each other. Their heads sweating heavily with worry. "You got one of those ghost friends too?"

Sighing, the man moved his hand alongside his coat. Beneath it began to reveal a slender, serpentine creature with striped metallic eyes, tribal tattoos scattered across the scales of its unnaturally long body. Its shelled legs looked thin yet sturdy.

As if it woke up from a long slumber, the lizard yawned and licked its eyes with its metallic tongue.

"It doesn't speak, but somehow I know it calls itself {BAKA MITAI} for some goddamn reason." The four channelled their utmost power to suppress their snickers. Unfortunately, this doesn't go unnoticed. Tossing at them a signature glare from those Yakuza games, he menacingly asks, "What's so funny?"

The two calmed down and began to explain to him all the details. After the debut of a talking black cat, things got complicated for a second there. Luckily, the man was sharp enough to piece the puzzle together with a bunch of mere facts. He was, however, quite pissed that his {STANDSONA} had an insulting name.

Before the guys could leave him be, the man offered them a deal. "Hey, if you're goin' to another realm where fake guns work to fight off demons and change crooks' hearts with my stuff, I'd expect a two-way deal. One of you work for me, I'll give you discounts and the latest customizations."

Patting his friend's shoulder, Ryuji added, "You do it. You have experience on shady stuff, right?"

Sweatdropping from his friend's vulgar display of infamy, the dhampir sighed and agreed to the shady man's deal. "I'm sure we'll get along just fine. In case you haven't noticed, my name's Iwai. You'll know my first name if you work harder."

* * *

~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~

' _I am_ _ **thou**_ _, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a **n**_ _**ew** _ _vow._

_It shall reinforce your ego_

_that_ _**empowers** _ _the other within._

_With the_ _**awakening** _ _of the Hanged Man,_

_You have set in motion the gears that_

_shall lead to_ _**change** _ _in the tides of time…'_

A tarot card of the Hanged Man tied with chains appears before him. Instantaneously, the chains break, revealing the picture of a man tied upside down on a tree, talking on his cellphone.

' _The Hanged Man's noose grips loose and weak-willed! Continue on your journey so that you may bind them tight!'_

* * *

_~ UNTOUCHABLE, CENTRAL STREET, SHIBUYA, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

{BAKA MITAI} began to gobble up the loot found. In rapid succession, it regurgitated a chunk of unidentified ores, absent of stomach fluids or anything nasty.

"Whoa…! Your Standsona's like Full Metal Alchemist!" It seems Ryuji knows what he watches. Tapping it with a pipe-enforced finger, the metallic surface produced a chrome-ish CLINK! that somehow caused the air around it to ripple for a brief second.

Bewildered by the product's properties, Iwai replied before the others could even ask. "Even the gecko doesn't know, so don't waste your breath askin' us. But this might fetch us a good price or two from the local vendors. If you catch my drift…"

"Why would the local thugs even want this crap in the first place?" By thugs, we mean Yakuza and/or the Italian Mafia. "It's like buyin' someone else's sports trophy since it's technically not yours."

Iwai tilted his hat and chuckled. "The black market loves to sell these weird things to secret governments and their half-assed organizations. They're all 'weapons this, weapons that'. Boohoo… Unfortunately, someone's been wiping them off the map. That's why I'm laying low for the time being."

"This airsoft store?"

"What the talking cat said…" Morgana the not-cat tried to rush his paws at the clerk, much to his anger when he was restrained by an annoyed, black-haired teenager.

"Ignore the pet. How much for all this? And that?" Ren asked, pointing at the display of supernatural ore stacks.

Scratching his chin, he immediately replied, "Up to 9,000 yen. Take it or leave it."

Outraged by the cheap prices, Ryuji argued, "WHAT!? We sold you fucking gold! How cheap can you get!?"

"Ye be drivin' a poop-decked bargain, boyo." Added the pirate skull attached to pipes.

"Pfft. I'm not a broker, and I doubt there's another like me who'd buy your kinky crap like that dick statue-"

Not wanting to remember the details, the vulgar blondie interrupted the shady thug. "Fine. We'll take your deal. Now if you excuse us, we have more important things to do."

Scoffing, Iwai gave them the cash and lazily sat back on his counter with his legs on it.

* * *

_~ CLINIC, YONGEN-JAYA, MORNING, SUNDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

The phantom thieves, excluding Ann and {TAKE IT OFF}, arrived at some shady clinic from random rumors surrounding Leblanc and Yongen-jaya in general.

The rumors weren't lying…

The clinic looked death-ridden despite the lack of accesories, or in general - gothic crap from your local stores. Sure, the plants look alive and kicking but the lively boon the plants were giving got quickly overshadowed by the pale white walls and tiled floors.

And what's with the horrible music!?

"HELLO? ANYONE THERE?" Shouted the dhampir.

Fortunately for them, a feminine voice replied, "COMING!"

A dark blue bob-cut hottie wearing a white lab-coat covering a short dress with a red grommet belt around her waist. Alongside the clothing are a black studded necklace choker which connects to multiple necklaces and strappy black platform high heels.

If she were a doctor, she might as well be a top-grade gothic model. The boys weren't ready for this…

Noticing the boys' drooling, she coldly asked, "Ignore the music. Let me guess - Parkinson's disease?"

Quickly maintaining his posture, Ren replied, "N-no, I do have some allergies, though…"

Despite the goth doctor's suspicious look, she quickly abandoned her thoughts and hauled Frizzy Hair into the exam room, leaving a scurvy blondie to wait outside for a minute. As Ren, with Morgana in his duffle bag, sat down, thus began the treatment section.

"In a case of yours, it's likely due to stress. A few pain relievers should do the trick, alright?" Nod. "Actually, I think I need to restock those… So let's go with sleep elixirs. After all, the sweetest dreams boost the more frail immunities."

The languid lady took out two jars - a red one plus the other blue. "You want a bitter pill or a sweet pill?"

"What's the red one taste like?" Asked the cautious dhampir, eyeing the jars worriedly.

"It doesn't matter… Look, I'll just cut to the chase - you're not sick at all, are you? Your vampiric features betray you. The human skin fooled me a bit, though."

_'Shit, she knows!'_

"You got it all wrong. I'm someone in need of… special medicine. The rumors say you're who I need to meet…" Let the battle commence!

"Who's to say? But as a result, all I get are patients with ulterior motives like you," She looks back at the clipboard at hand. "I guess high school kids have it tough nowadays, huh?"

"With all the incidents nowadays? Definitely." Ren tiredly sighed. Drama queen.

Looking at the boy's physique, she finally gave in. "Well, fine. I'll prescribe you some medication - and only those that'll help with your health." The doctor strictly added.

"Well, I guess it's fine. You seem pretty earnest, and you look more like a charmer than a fighter." Was that a compliment or an insult? "This is my private practice, so all the medicine I dispense is original."

Private practice, eh? Ren must interrogate further. "Where do you even get the ingredients? I don't smell magic or a lot of metal on you - which means you're neither a witch or alchemist unless you…"

"None of the sort. Just know that I have a license to make my own recipes. However, it's still your responsibility to take care of yourself. If that's okay with you, stop by anytime."

"Thanks for the help." Politely greeted the dhampir.

"I just believe in providing my patients with quick and efficient medical examinations," Said the doctor before she gives her patient an intriguing look. "You're pretty weird for a vampire, you know? Looks like the human-exclusive brands won't work…"

"I'm a half-breed, if you must know." Proudly announced the dhampir.

' _Possessed and sparkling!'_ A enthusiastic {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} exclaimed in Ren's mind.

"That complicates matters. Oh, well. I'll cross that bridge when I reach it. We'll talk about your needs for now…"

* * *

_~ ATTIC, LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, SUNDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

After purchasing a few packets of Recov-R plus a single sample of each Capsule available, Ren and Morgana quickly returned to Leblanc. Ryuji, on the other hand, had to go help his mother with the groceries.

An interesting proposal from his demonic business partner had him befuddled on his bed.

"YOU CAN DO WHAT!?" yelled the surprised Morgana.

"Simple surgery for vampiric enhancement; like health leeching, greater agility, more flexible build et cetera. No side effects - excluding rising bloodlust during tide of battle, however." The Russian-accented Daeva explained.

"And you want to do this… on my bed?"

The Daeva's features behind his mask made a disagreeing look. "Too unhygienic. We do this in closet gateway to void. Come."

The interior of the closet was still barricaded with various cosplay. Pushing past the hanged clothes, Ren and his feline companion soon reached a realm beyond human comprehension.

Just like the dream he had back then, the skies were lit ablaze by the ever-expanding fires that swallow the landscape of the ashes of the damned. The mountain of skeletal remains was still there, towering over this wasteland of intense carnage.

On that mountain, the Daeva of Rage was sitting on his stone throne, facing towards them and the Satanic style-carved altar stained with blood and sinew.

"Lie down in altar, please."

As the not-cat, who transformed into his Metaverse form, watched Frizzy Hair lie down on the bloodstained altar. From the surface of the altar erupted pairs of stone spikes, immobilizing Ren entirely.

Turning to the dhampir, four new arms erupted out of the Daeva's ribs, each holding a surgery utensil forged from muscle and bone. "Do not worry. Pain only temporary. Should be able to walk afterwards."

With that said, Aeshma plunged his saw into Ren's chest cavity. Much to the dhampir's dissatisfaction, he sliced off a large portion of his left atrium and ventricle and replaced it with his own brand of bio-mechanical components.

"What the hell is that?"

A few clicks and clings were his only reply. Wiping his hands clean, the surgeon looked at his client. "Healing factor accelerator - absolute compatibility with all blood types - but violates various human laws of science, however. Try not to think too hard."

"How does that even work? There's no such thing as infinite energy, yo." Asked {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} at the sidelines.

The demon began to cut into Ren's cranium. "Solvable problem through sub-augmentations - specifically decreasing nutrient consumption for organ regrowth, and in general, entire body."

As he explained, the Daeva inserted a small metallic capsule into his head. "Just added muscle memory hardware drive into brain. Whenever bio-organic augmentations become heavily damaged, hardware will initiate structural regrowth. Therefore, we have no need for constant replacement."

"Thank god, I wouldn't be able to handle the pain all day long…" Sighed the dhampir as he put on his clothes.

"Glad we have same ideology. When you find exotic items in Palace, bring to me. Useful for research in human-compatible cybernetics." Aeshma said, cleaning his tools and skeletal hands.

Before they could leave the ripoff hellhole of Narnia, a demonic voice warned them, "Could you do me favor and request guardian permission for school? Other documents I can handle myself."

Nodding, the not-cat and his caretaker kept that in mind and quickly left.

* * *

_~ ENTRANCE, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2033 ~_

The thieves shared witty banter with each other on the way to school. Nobody suspected the existences of their {STANDSONA}s, allowing them to participate as well. The mood quickly soured when they saw a smugly grinning Kamoshida at the gates, seemingly waiting for them to make some witty at them.

"Good morning," The teacher with the flat chin spoke, much to the team's dismay. "Be careful with the rumors around the place. They've got lots of dirt on all of you."

"Let's hope there ain't no rumors about a certain gym teacher sexually abusing classmates…" Ren and Ryuji wore very startling grins, enjoying the coach's pessimistic reaction. "Won't we, 'King Kamoshida'?"

The boys high-fived each other whilst shadowing the rapist's grumbles with childish laughter. Better hope the king doesn't issue anymore rumors about our uncanny heroes…

* * *

_~ 3RD FLOOR HALLWAY, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, MONDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2033 ~_

Aeshma arrived at the school in his usual Mr. X uniform. He ditched the mask and shapeshifted his face into some Russian-looking person inspired by various samples on the internet. He took the name **Dahag Putin** , made himself look like a war veteran and with his mind-warping powers, influenced everyone else to acknowledge him as one.

"You need to stop terrorizing the students, Amamiya-kun. It's irritating the cleaning staff." An exhausted-as-usual Kawakami complained to a smiling Ren, walking to the guidance office to get Aeshma to finalize his guardian appointment papers.

"Workers should have expected such issue. Should have prepared, instead of idle complaining." An additional cosplaying figure suggested from behind. The teacher only sighed, "If only they'd listen, Mr. Putin…"

' _That smell…'_ The dhampir spoke to himself.

The demon scoffed. "Logical reason for them to stay as slaves. Do you agree?"

At last, Kawakami chuckled for the first time in front of Ren's eyes. He thought he could bring such changes to the world as he did. Approaching the office, they witnessed a young, red-haired girl walk out of the student guidance room next to them, alongside another teacher and… Kamoshida again!?

Noticing the female teacher, Kamoshida wore his happy mask. "Good to see you're up and going, Ms. Kawakami! I appreciate your effort."

He sees the disguised Daeva. "And war veteran Dahag Putin! It's such an honor for you to be here." Seeing him raise his hand to him, the Daeva shook it with incredible strength. Just enough to cause slight pain. "Why did you decide to take care of _him in_ the first place?"

The not-cat meowed from his duffle bag. "Quick, act natural!"

He spoke in his natural (favorite) tone. "His parents and I have long-term relationship. Plus, already retired, so why not take child under large wings? Show him way of young bears in wild."

The others, excluding Ren and Morgana, nodded. However, an anomaly in the group got his attention. His pupil noticed it as well. "And who might little girl be?"

The girl mentioned above bowed lightly. "I-I'm Sumire Yoshizawa - first-year transfer to this place. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"I wouldn't put it that way if I were you… Remember that talk we had about students you shouldn't get involved with? Amamiya-kun here's on top of the list."

"O-oh, the d-delinquent transfer student?" Sumire spoke wide-eyed.

Before Ren could retort with his snarky words, Kawakami disappointingly interrupted their argument. "Sorry to rush, but we gotta use the guidance office."

"Oh, pardon me then. We'll be going then - don't want to get in the way of guiding this delinquent and his new guardian and all." Flat-chin darkly spoke. After the two teachers accompanying Sumire left, she bowed to the trio again.

* * *

_~ STUDENT GUIDANCE ROOM, SHUJIN ACADEMY, AOYAMA-ICHIJOU, AFTER SCHOOL, MONDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2033 ~_

The tension in the guidance room was increasing at an alarming rate. The fact that Ren's sitting opposite to Kawakami isn't helping either. While Aeshma's busy managing (at human-speed) the paperwork, she asked the young boy a straight-to-the-point question. "I'm gonna be straight with you: was there some dispute between you and Mr. Kamoshida?"

"I didn't even talk with him much, let alone start some verbal war like Ryuji from another timeline would've done." He plainly answered.

"I trust you, but that little exchange there proved otherwise, but that's not all…" She crossed her hands like some sort of British villain who owns a cat. "He gave me a half-assed lecture this morning, with your name on it. Supervision this, dangers that…"

Sighing, the teacher takes the already finished files from the Daeva. "Thank you," She turns back to the delinquent. "I don't mean to pry… Just don't go causing mayhem, okay?"

"Crystal. May we go now?"

"One more thing - I wanted to personally thank you for lending a hand for Suzui-san. Thanks to you, her injuries were less catastrophic than a usual jump." She threw away her lame joke. "Sorry, terrible joke. That's all I wanted to discuss. Since Dahag-san here has finished submitting his applications, you're free to go."

As Ren left the room, Aeshma tipped his fedora to Kawakami with a cocky smile. "Do me a favor and watch the kid, alright? There's no way he'd be your stereotypically labelled criminal…"

"Heh, well said. World need more women like you. Watch yourself for students' sake, ladno? I know secret jobs you take…" The demon in grey robes teased, leaving her to ponder her next steps in the room.

* * *

_~ ENTRANCE, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

We skip to the infiltration scene. Who the hell wants to listen to various teachers mumbling about random 24/7 spew of trivial bullshit? Oh, and Aeshma decided to tag along as well. Staying in a closet can really drive one's mind towards insanity.

At the gates, Ryuji stared at Ann's cat suit with notable admiration, much to the girl's ignorance. "Damn…"

"Hmm?"

"U-uh, just admirin' the outfit, that's all…" replied the muscle.

Rolling his eyes, Morgana hurries up the gang. "Now we need a codename for Lady Ann."

"I mean, she's got that leather dominatrix feel so…" Asked the pirates numbskulls.

Ren's turn. "Catgirl."

"No."

Ryuji's turn. "Dominatrix!"

"Hell N to the O."

Morgana's turn. "What about… Cougar?"

The males laughed so hard, they were tumbling on the ground. Much to the girl's anger, she whipped their asses with a loud THWACK! Gonna need a Salvation for that one…

"Why…!? Cougars are fast and strong!" Asked the shipped not-cat. To answer his question, Ren whispered, "In slang, it refers to older females who want to date younger men…"

Much to the feline's shock, he quickly tried to apologize, but it was Aeshma's turn. "How about Pink Panther? Classic cartoon."

Touching her chin, the pure blonde nodded in agreement. "Since I'm not wearing pink, I'll just go with Panther."

The feline friend started "Then it's settled. I'll go after our plans: secure our infiltration route, silence anything that gets in our way and finally, discover the core of the Palace - the Treasure's location. I'll explain the stealing part when we get to it."

"And out comes a baptised Kamoshida!" The dhampir excitedly yelled. "I just wish we could kick his ass though."

"He shall receive his just reward! Onward, my loyal slaves- I mean, companions!" {TAKE IT OFF} awkwardly yelled floating behind an armed Ann, much to the male thieves' worry.

"It's game time from this point forward. I'll teach you guys the basics of infiltrating a Palace as we go."

Before Ren could follow his departing gang, they and Aeshma witnessed an ethereal door appearing near the castle entrance.

"Wait!" The team halted. "Can you guys see this door over here?"

To answer your question, all they could see was nothing but the dhampir, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} and Aeshma staring at a shabby wooden tower.

"Door? Joker, are you okay? Last time I checked, there's nothing there. Now let's hurry up and go-"

"Before you go, allow me to widen visions of thieves…" Sucking in air, the Daeva breathed out a red mist seen from his intrusion to their realm. When the mist dissipated, the door itself became visible to the eyes of his teammates.

"Whoa…" The other thieves widened their eyes.

"Wanna go in?"

* * *

_~ VELVET ROOM ~_

"The prisoner has returned- Wait, there's more of them!?"

Igor and her loli wardens certainly weren't expecting more guests to the dinner table, much to the former's subtle dismay. On his wooden table, Igor tried his best to hide his shock.

"Oh, my! It seems you've brought friends this time. Well, it's always nice to meet new, friendly faces now and often."

He looks at Ren, who was wearing prison robes once again. "Well done on establishing relationships with new companions. It seems you've remembered my words well…"

The others (excluding the {STANDSONA}s) quickly realized they were wearing prison robes as well. Confused and disoriented, they rapid-fired dozens upon dozens of questions. With a hand gesture, Caroline slammed her baton at the cell bars, ultimately silencing their unanswered voices.

"Calm yourselves, prisoners of fate. Your leader is undergoing rehabilitation - in order to escape the ruin that awaits him." Pinnocchio stated.

"I'm assuming it's something bad. Now what do you want with Joker?" Asked Ryuji.

The old man chuckled, "Due to your leader's inherited potential to wield the power of the Wild Card - the ability to tame Shadows. It's basically the number zero, which also means infinite possibility. Our goal here's to help him nurture that potential to its fullest."

The man's grin grew larger. "…To that end, we must execute your Shadows."

The crew was startled. Igor, however, calmed them of any harm. "Hahaha… Don't feel threatened. Shadows are the personalities within you. Thus, it's like discarding retarded crap in your head to remake them into useful crap. Now, summon your Shadows, Trickster."

{PIXIE}, {BICORN} and {BERITH} materialized from Ren's dissipating mask and landed onto the Velvet Room's carpets. However, they all look distraught and saddened. Guess not even Shadows want to be reborn and lose all their memories of their former selves, after all.

"By discarding your old personalities, you give way to a new one. Hence, we call that process 'execution'. Think of fusions, but for Shadows instead of humans. Now pick a pair - ANY pair." Long-Nose menacingly explained in his deep, raspy voice.

"I'll miss you… {PIXIE} and {BICORN}."

"It was good knowin' ya, boss."

"Aww, and just when we were having fun…"

"Now, choose the moves you wish to inherit." A floating compendium embed with a list of abilities and skills of the two Shadows and the innate skills of the product.

"I'll take a {SLIME} with Zio to go."

As he witnessed the two towering guillotines descend from a dark void hanging on the ceiling, Caroline and Justine hurriedly wrapped up the Shadows on death row in ragged bags. As they positioned their heads into the lunette, the rusty mouton landed on their heads, beheading them into strings of wild magic…

The magic released surrounded each other and created a harmless yet brightly lit explosion. And from the explosion, an amorphous mass with a malformed face. It looks like it's suffering…

"Me {SLIME}… Y-you have mask! N-nice to meet you…"

Before the sentient sludge could transform into a ball of light and sink into Ren's chest, a foreign power empowered the already impressive {SLIME}. The mini-compendium displayed the skills and powers it gained from its Arcana boost - as Igor would call it.

Igor chuckled at the team's responses. "A bizarre display, was it? That's why I said making friends was important. The power from their bonds allow you to create stronger Shadows and empower your {STANDSONA} as well. The deeper, the stronger, the more additional unlockable fusions when you max them out…"

The vulgar blonde was thinking hard. "Damn, this is all so crazy… Hey, Igor!"

SLAM! "Watch your tongue, Inmate!"

"Calm yourself, Caroline," Pinocchio looks at the pirate in robes. "What do you wish to know, Chariot?"

"Chariot…? T-that's not the point! Were you the one who gave us the Meta-nav!?"

Long-nose playfully tapped his desk. "Indeed I did, Chariot. The world is not as it seems, as ruin draws ever nearer each passing second. No need to worry yourselves of such burdens yet. For now, proceed with your tasks at hand. I'll be watching…"

And they quickly left.

* * *

_~ GYM, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The gang arrived at the gym - specifically the place where Kamoshida thinks he's praised like a religion. There were even cathedral seats lined across the room, alongside golden candle stands and roses among roses.

For the cherry on top, a large statue of Kamoshida in his new clothes was being displayed arrogantly. On his crack-lined hand was a volleyball - the only thing he's good at other than generously raping and torturing females.

"Ugh, the ego in this room… Let's just get it over with…" The blondie expressed his sympathized disgust. As they tread across the carpets, an eerie voice echoed through the hall. "It seems my idling wasn't fruitless after all…"

Just then, a golden guard erupted out of the ground. "You're the ones who tampered with the library, huh?"

The porn books, the nude Kamoshida photos and the kinky torture tools make great traumatizing material. "Please don't talk about that place again… I need to wash my eyes after that."

It looked at the pirates. "To correct what the crippled ape said, this place is a holy temple for our glorious King Kamoshida. Thus, it is defiling for worthless peasants like yourselves to stand on it!"

The guard quickly erupted into a powerful-looking angel - the kind that wears medieval armor, wields a sword and has feathery wings. Mona called it the Heavenly Punisher.

"Not even shedding your group's blood may redempt you of this sin!"

With the flap of its wings, the chairs smashed against the cathedral's pillars, turning them into splinters at an instant. As the team backed off, the Punisher began to Charge up massive amounts of energy.

* * *

**DEUS VULT!**

"Steel yourselves! I sense a powerful attack coming up next!" exclaimed the not-cat.

{KEELHAULED} wrapped himself around Skull's body.

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} hid Joker behind the stone pillars' shadows.

{CAT SCRATCH FEVER} transformed itself into a metallic dome and carried its owner onto its back.

{TAKE IT OFF}… just followed Panther as she backed off.

The Heavenly Punisher lets out a strong "IN THY NAME!" before sending a powerful Cleave at the guarding thieves. The resulting blast managed to decimate most of the Palace structures, albeit a little bit.

Mona took a full hit of the Charged Cleave, heavily injuring him despite his agile maneuvers.

Skull fired a Zio at the Shadow, much to its pride, shrugged off the blast and fired a Vajra Blast back at the pirate. "Electricity doesn't work!"

Resorting to brute force, {KEELHAULED} launched a pile of splinters at the Shadow. Unexpectedly, one of the splinters managed to pierce the flexible parts of its armor, causing it to wince in pain.

"NOW, {TAKE IT OFF}!" The dressed bust casted a Tarunda spell from her mouth, causing the angel's grip to loosen a bit. With that, Ren jumped off {BERITH}'s galloping horse and slammed an Eiha with {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s fist.

The resulting attack caused the Heavenly Punisher to recoil back and arm itself once more. It quickly dodged a pile of falling debris from {CAT SCRATCH FEVER} and a whip slash from Ann. Seeing them miss their sneak attacks, the powerful Shadow aimed another Cleave at the not-cat, hoping to knock it out of the fight…

What it didn't expect was for {SLIME} to resist its attack and protect its feline ally. The mass of rotten sinew used this opportunity to morph into a bungee jumper and Lunged itself at the Punisher. It pounced itself at the angel's chin, sending it flying towards the statue's feet.

Why the statue didn't collapse was a question for another time.

"Heretics! You dare sully our lord's name!?"

The Heavenly Punisher enters a Rage state, hacking and slashing the thieves with greater strength but terrible accuracy. Tired of dodging, the dhampir summoned {MANDRAKE} to assist him. Spreading a pink powder at the knight, it became confused and couldn't attack.

Rage and confusion ailments are best used together if you want a quick item or cash grab AND a quick beatdown.

"Time to slam!" In case you were wondering, both blondes never played basketball.

{KEELHAULED} morphed himself into a giant two-handled sword for Joker and his owner. Panther, being the magic caster she is, ignited {KEELHAULED}'s sword. With a mighty swing, the Heavenly Punisher was sliced in half.

And another half.

And another- you get where this is going…

As the Shadow's remnants dissolved into sludge, it was their Standsonas' turn to feast again.

"Phew, that thing was tough…" sighed the exhausted brute.

The not-cat replied, "Yeah, he really wants us dead. Let's get going, then."

As the thieves began to step in, a huge platoon of Shadow guards surrounded them. "Aw, crap!"

"Joker! Remember that grappling hook we made at home? Find a suitable place and get us outta here!"

Nodding, Joker used his vampiric senses and spotted the crack on the Kamoshida statue. _'Perfect…'_

"Grab onto me!" The thieves latched onto their leader and zipped onto the statue's wrist. The guards, however, weren't going to give up. They began crawling up the statue to pursue the fashionable intruders.

In response to their determination, the blondie collapsed the statue with a pirate-infused kick, killing and squishing all of the guards into sludge piles. Like vacuums, their ghastly friends absorbed all of them without a waste.

The not-cat drank a couple of sodas from his hammerspace, quickly restoring his lost HP. "I've finished healing myself. The security level's lowered a bit, but nearby Shadows must've heard our ruckus."

On the rooftop, they quickly ran to the next hallway and avoided the remaining Shadows pursuing them.

* * *

_~ RANDOM HALLWAY 1, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The gang of castle invaders spotted a suspicious area with a door tangled in vines and was a deep abyss apart from their platform. After a quick grappling lesson, the group stood in front of the door.

"That place looks fishy. I mean, there's vines and a huge 'No Entry' sign hanging over it." Responding to Skull's suspicions, Joker took out his kukri. "Let's cut it down."

With a few quick slashes, they kicked the steel door open, revealing a darkened room with vines protruding alongside the vines.

"This room feels like one of those abandoned shacks you see in the middle of the jungle… Wait, what the hell is that?"

They approached the skull-shaped… fruit thing attached to crimson, translucent shoots. Mona wore a happy face. "Just what I thought… a **Will Seed**."

Joker held up the fruit. "To be or not to be, that is the question…"

The others sweatdropped. "Palaces are locations that grew malformed and alien due to their rulers' cognitions. When such distortions coalesce into one mass, this is the result - I call it a Will Seed."

"So… it's a thing made from Kamoshida's mind?" Skull asked. Mona replied with an approving nod. "Heavily simplified but accurate deduction, Skull."

"So we take it?"

"Yes," The girl in her catsuit began to pick up the Seed. "It may not be as prized as a Treasure, but it's still quite the rare find. When we leave, it might turn into something valuable to Kamoshida himself - albeit a 4th priority of his - but taking it with us will still only do us good… I think."

"Umm, won't we trigger any obstacles when we take it?" Asked the pure blonde.

"Like th' wick'd Bermuda Triangle…" The mechanical pirate stated.

The Twilight Dancer laughed. "Jokes on you! I'm resistant to curses."

YOINK!

The moment the Will Seed completely separated from its roots, it seemingly triggered a flashback - specifically, Kamoshida's past.

**Everyone saw a younger Kamoshida (at least at his 20s)** **at a talk show. The hosts began talking about his rise to fame after his debut in professional volleyball.**

**"Wow, your reputation is quite high! And it's stayed that way since you first became a professional!"**

**"Oh, no, no… I'm nothing remarkable at all." Kamoshida replied in an actual humble tone.**

**"How could that be?" The male host asked.**

**"When it comes to volleyball players, not only has he filmed multiple commercials now…" The female host stated. "He has donated a lot of money to his hometown high school, which is also very famous."**

Everyone stared at past Kamoshida with disbelief. To think someone so generous and supporting of his hometown would end up a rotten apple like he is now.

**"That's right! Ordinary people can't do that!"**

**The male host turned to face Kamoshida. "So today, a question we have to ask…"**

**"Oh, y-yes!"**

**"Mr. Kamoshida…"** Cue drum roll. **"Do you remember your last match? How did you feel at the moment of victory?"**

**"Well, it was just a… 'Yes, I won!' feeling. I was very happy at the time."**

**At that point a barrage of compliments and questions began to overwhelm Kamoshida. While it did, the memory's environments began to distort like when they enter the Metaverse via the Meta-Nav.**

Joker slowly analyzed the entire flashback.. "Looks like the immense expectations from others got to Kamoshida. I actually sympathize with him, to be honest…"

"Still, that doesn't justify his actions against his own students," Panther said with determination. "We're gonna change this bastard's heart!" 

The boys nodded back to Panther. "We still have two Seeds to find. Be prepared to see more of these flashbacks. As humans said, history makes the best teacher." The not-cat quoted.

* * *

_~ SECRET AREA 2, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The thieves climbed up the giant tower while putting holes through the many Shadows with their ammo hacks and magic attacks. They found another secret room with another Will Seed.

"Second seed found! Wonder what Kamoshida has to say this time."

As they picked up the seed, another curious flashback triggered.

**This flashback was located in a hotel room. Kamoshida sat on the bed, anxious and guilty of accidentally revealing his true nature to the female host back at the TV show…**

**He was now contacting this manager, ready to turn himself in after his begging seemingly failed to please the TV host. However, the CEO had other plans. "I understand, then we will-"**

**"Hurry! Call the police!"**

The team was once again flabbergasted with younger-and-nicer Kamoshida. Was he really innocent or are these memories unreliable and altered by the man himself as a coping mechanism…?

**"No way, Mr. Kamoshida. Please stay calm and don't act rashly." The businessman reassured his client. Just like last time, the hotel room began to distort itself as Kamoshida begged to be imprisoned.**

"…How low can human society get?" Joker growled with hopelessness.

"Worse than the supernaturals, that's for sure…" {TAKE IT OFF} deadpanned.

"No point thinkin' about it now, dude. Now come on, we're getting close to the Treasure."

* * *

_~ SECRET AREA 3, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

Things can quickly escalate in the realm of the human unconscious. While you finish discovering additional loot to plunder, you find a wooden elevator to a secret flooded dungeon containing the third and last Will Seed - guarded by an eldritch human penis monster.

"It's coming!" - Mona the Cartoon Cat

* * *

**GIANT DICK ATTACK!**

The Torn King of Desire proceeded to land a heavy Assault Dive on the crew. Taking the blunt hit, Skull retaliated with a fresh bolt of Zio. Accompanying his projectile were an Agi fireball amplified by a sharp Garu.

Much to their disappointment and the Shadow's amusement, the attacks aren't very effective. Time to utilize **Technical**!

"{TAKE IT OFF}, put that thing to sleep!" The black bust spewed out a Dormina in the form of a white gas cloud at the penis monster, knocking the daylights out of it as soon as its 'holes' inhaled it. Mona then flung his scimitar at the sleeping beast, knocking it down.

"All-out Attack, gang!"

As the recurring canvas of chaos disappeared into nothing, the not-cat landed on a stool that materialized out of nowhere with a cocktail on his paw and a smug smirk on his anthropomorphic face.

"The. End."

_**MISSION** _ _**ACCOMPLISHED** _

* * *

As they blew up the door out of sheer exhaustion, the last Will Seed was within sight. Wonder what the last flashback'll cover…

**Younger-and-nicer Kamoshida was discussing the future of his athletics career with his manager. He was apologizing non-stop.**

**"I'm sorry! I don't know how many people will be troubled…" The burly athletics teacher said. "There are still ads playing, and the image of the company is very important…"**

**His manager, instead of being disappointed, reassured him. "That won't be a problem any longer. We've already had a thorough talk with that woman."**

**Kamoshida widened his eyes in disbelief. "…What?"**

**"So you can continue. To being an ideal athlete. So for now, don't worry about it."**

**"T-that phrase means…" The athlete muttered with fear. His business partner justified his actions. "This time, we must also act responsible. Since Mr. Kamoshida entered our company, we've been getting a lot of publicity, right? Just keep playing as a bright and glorious sports star, or is that too much pressure?"**

**"A-alright…"**

**The manager leaned on the table, getting closer to the man's face. "If there's a demand in that respect in the future, please be sure to discuss with us. We will arrange a girl or introduce you to a shop of your preference."**

**"If anything goes wrong, we'll press it down like this time."**

**"Y-you said 'press down'…"**

**"This is best for everyone," reassured the manager once more. "Well, I'll say goodbye first."**

**In the holographic diner, only Kamoshida remained, thinking about his career and what his manager had just said to him.**

**"Remuneration **… good for everyone…?** "**

**The environment once again began to distort, but this one was more violent and severe than the last two.**

**"So what I did…**

**IS FORGIVEN?"**

From witnessing how the higher-ups of human society are so willing to cover up any crimes just to make a profit, Skull and {KELLHAULED} have both officially ran out of hope for mankind. "So the higher-ups were covering for him…"

"And thus marks his start of darkness. Power corrupts, as Lord Acton quoted." The dhampir and his other half said simultaneously, not noticing the Will Seeds glowing rapidly.

"Uh, is that supposed to happen?" Panther pointed at the Seeds on Joker's hands. "And why are they spinning like that!?"

To everyone's surprise, the Will Seeds levitated midair and began to spin with no signs of slowing down. Soon, a blinding flash of light blinded the thieves and as the opened their eyes, a pink crystal slowly descended from the spot of the seeds, landing on Ren's gloved hand.

"What the hell is this!?" complained the vulgar ape.

"So THAT happens- I mean, I never expected anything less than that to happen!"

"Now that's our kitty-cat!" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} petted the feline's head, gently brushing his glassy hands through his soft fur.

"Stop it! I also sense a power similar to this Palace's. It should prove beneficial for our future thievery." The not-cat explained whilst having his fur ruffled by the tuxedo-dressed ghost.

The human thieves looked at each other. "Alright, then! Who wants to use Kamoshida's condensed dreams?"

No one raised a hand. Shrugging, he scanned the jewel's hidden power before putting it back into his hammerspace pockets.

"Alright… at least I'll be stealing something from him, I guess?" Panther confusingly said.

Unable to continue the witty banter, the thieves quickly ascended the tower.

* * *

_~ THRONE ROOM, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

That guillotine took a bit off Ren, both figuratively and literally. He lost his pinkie trying to cross through the first one in that hallway. They had to fight a few elites to get those disgusting eyeball keys for the Kamoshida bust, and got a few new friends by the names of {CAIT SITH}, {SILKY} and {ARCHANGEL} respectively.

They're now in the throne room, very very close to their objective and at the same time, the Palace ruler himself.

"Search the perimeter! They won't go far, knowing the nearby traps that have been disabled!" The king arrogantly commanded on his gilded throne.

The guards idiotically left the room, not knowing that their targets were already behind their defenses, ready to end their king's reign…

"To think I once served such a repulsive human… How blindeth we were…!" Silent whispered {ARCHANGEL} under his knight helmet.

"The important thing is: you're done serving him now. Let's hurry and check on the Treasure."

* * *

_~ TREASURY, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

As soon as they opened the large doors to the castle's treasury, heaps of gold, jewelry and a fluctuating white mass was in the middle. The Shadows and humans walked up to the supposed Treasure. "Hehe… At long last, we finally found the Treasure."

"This cloudy thought bubble thing?" Skull exclaimed in disbelief.

"How do we get it out of this place?" Panther eagerly asked.

Joker pondered with his gloved hand on his chin. "Might need a vacuum cleaner for this…"

The others sweatdropped. "Just hold on a second. I was planning on telling you more once we made it this far."

Mona hopped onto a trophy. "Simply finding the Treasure isn't enough. We'll need to make it materialize before we can steal it."

"Eh… how?"

Mona continued. "Desires have no physical form by nature. Hence, we need to make the real person aware that their desires are in fact a Treasure. Once they're conscious that their desires are an item and can be stolen, the Treasure will finally show itself."

Joker smirked. "…With a calling card. Mona, you sly dog- I mean, human."

Close dodge! The self-proclaimed human looked at his owner impressed and haughty. "We warn them: 'We're going to steal your heart.'"

Panther stylishly laughed alongside Skull, "That sounds amazing! It's totally what a phantom thief would do!"

"It does have a charming flair around it…" Even {TAKE IT OFF} was impressed. "Like a man lookin' at his own bounty with fear in 'er eyes!" So was {KEELHAULED}.

Joker called for a brief moment of silence to "Everyone! The time has come. Kamoshida thinks he can just sit on his throne made of asses and get away with rape!? Mark my words: we will not stand idly by when tyranny from above wishes to enslave us and treat us as cattle! We shall rage against the heavens should they ever become corrupt with desire! All for one…"

"…AND ONE FOR ALL!" The rest of the thieves cheered.

The Shadows bowed under their master's feet while their superiors clapped and cheered for rebellion.

"Such a pitiful notion. To rebel against kings when you are but a meek peasant…" Their cheering might've attracted unwanted attention, specifically a War-hungry Horseman with a platoon of Zealous Messengers behind it. Another one to Joker's slave pen. "…How gutless!" It shouted as it twirled its spear before pointing at them.

"How was that gutless?"

"Because… suicide is the coward's way out."

"Can we fight now?" A bored {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} interrupted.

To the Horseman's ire, it shouted, "Insolent…! YES!"

* * *

**AMBUSH!**

The mounted warrior Double Fanged its way through {CAIT SITH} and {SLIME} like paper, stopping to clash weapons with {ARCHANGEL}, creating sparks from the impact of their weapons. During this power struggle, {ANDRAS} and {SILKY} both took a Makajama from a Zealous Messenger head-on, forcing {BERITH} to carry him on his steed.

Skull shoulder bashed a handful of them with {KEELHAULED} and {SLIME}'s help. It seems being forgetful doesn't remove your ability to attack normally. The impact left a single Messenger in front of them. With a curb stomp on the head, the angelic Shadow laid dead with its neck broken, melting into sludge.

Seeing {ARCHANGEL}, alongside the knocked out {CAIT SITH}, was struggling to repel the War-hungry Horseman's attack, the boys rushed to aid them in their ever-lasting struggle. Before the trio could assist, a whip slashed the enemy's spear away from its hands, allowing the gelatinous blob to cripple (melt) the steed and gave the winged knight an opportunity to land a swift Hama-infused kick at its abdomen. Said Hama-kick buried the Horseman into a nearby heap of gold.

Panther gave the gang a thumbs up, to which the former replied with another one.

Joker , on the other hand, had to deal with the three remaining Zealous Messenger. With {ANDRAS} out of the equation, he and {BERITH} dashed towards them with their weapons scratching across the ground, which ignited their weapons thank the super popular superstition that metallic weapons generate heat when dragged across the ground. The Zealous Messenger retaliated with another Makajama, which the Cavalryman countered by hilariously shielding himself and his master with an already amnesic man-owl in front of them.

The feminine Shadows dodged at the last second, charging up another Makajama directly above the rider, man-beast and thief. _'Oh shi-'_

"Fire Fist!"

A rubbery, slimy fist set on fire sends the Zealous Messengers and their interrupted counterattack towards the wall. The kinetic force was so strong, the final group literally had their asses smashed out of castle grounds.

Victory!- "HELP! FLAMES HURT VERY MUCH!" {SLIME} the sentient meat pile yelled out.

As Panther and Skull struggled to put out the ignited {SLIME}, {SILKY} woke up from her trance and quickly blew a breath of Bufu to extinguish the flames. Shaking her head, she sighed, "Children…"

"Give them time, and they shall grow strong and competent." An exhausted {ARCHANGEL} patted the housemaid's shoulder.

Joker stared at the hole on the wall alongside Mona and {BERITH}. "Are we forgetting something?"

"Ah, the War-hungry Horseman!" The winged knight and cavalryman dragged the dying Shadow (plus the crippled steed) from the heap of gold it was resting in. The dhampir walked to its battered form, kneeled down and spoke the quote, "I am thou…"

"…And thou art I…! I remember now…" The Horseman's wounds began to rapidly heal. In mere seconds, it could properly stand. The horse's legs also grew back, letting it walk to its owner. Climbing onto its steed's back, it shouted, "I am no mere servant! I am {ELIGOR} - warchief of the Goetia."

The rejuvenated {ELIGOR} kneeled with his warhorse. "My strength… is yours."

Jokingly, Joker asked the warchief to stand up. "I appreciate it."

The rest began to discuss their next step, gathering together as if a bonfire was in front of them. "We'll go to the butt pillar distortion area to gather money; for recovery items, there's always the gym area. {ELIGOR} suggested we stay together to maximize gathering efficiency in a single area, so we'll do just that. I'd also need more Shadows to fuse into stronger Shadows not native to this Palace. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. "Then it's unanimous. Phantom thieves, roll out!"

* * *

_~ ENTRANCE, CASTLE OF LUST ~_

The raid turned out to be incredibly fruitful. He had recruited every available Shadow inside the Palace doors, farmed enough currency to earn the gang 2 to 3 buffet meals daily, weapons of higher quality and a handful of Extinguish Orbs, Thaw Stones, Discharge Crystals from intimidation. The Morsels and Gravy could be used as groceries.

Too bad the Palace raiding session also invoked the wrath of Kamoshida himself, causing guards to multiply by numbers and force the thieves to retreat from being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Besides, they don't have much SP left and Snuff Souls are rare as fuck in the Metaverse.

"Get back here, you cowards!"

Panther gave the pervert a middle finger in response, pissing the teacher off even further. Much to Skull's dismay, he asked, "Since this place's the shithead's mind, wouldn't pissin' him off here have some effect on his real self?"

Mona, sitting on {SILKY}'s shoulder, chuckled, "Sharp of you to notice, Skull. I'm not sure, but it's probably a yes."

"Good. He won't feel anything after we crush him." sadistically spoke the determined quarter-American. The others felt a shiver crawl up their spines.

With a single tap on his phone, the phantom thieves have escaped the Palace.

* * *

_~ LINE MESSAGES ~_

Ryuji: infiltration route secured! now 2 sent that callin card n steal his Treasure!

Ann: Calm down, Ryuji. We still need to prepare ourselves, remember?

Ryuji: aww…

Ren: Ann's right; we don't know what to expect when we fight Kamoshida himself

Ren: We might have no deadline, but we should prepare for the worst

Ryuji: ill wait

Ren: Appreciate it.

Ann: By the way, does Aeshma have a phone?

**Ren added Aeshma to the group.**

Aeshma: No need for concern. Am well-prepared and practiced.

Ryuji: Ooh yeah, older than the universe itself trope…

Ann: Ryuji!

Ren: Don't mind him. He's a bit less tactful than the rest of us…

Ryuji: traitors… all of u!

Aeshma: Am fine. Not concerned with life expectancy. Everyone should get rest. I have special task for you all tomorrow. Goodbye.

Ryuji: laters then

Ann: Catch you all tomorrow, then!

Ren: See ya.

* * *

_~ ATTIC, LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, MONDAY, APRIL 18TH ~_

"Ah… exquisite augment, this one!" The impressed Daeva held on his hand a new augmentation part - **Calcium Converter**. "You can convert iron in body into spiky protrusion on skin. If you are human, you easily get deficiency. Vampire, however, have infinite blood supply thanks to regenerative blood marrow."

He continues as he begins to cut into Ren's bone marrow. "Humans truly have infinite potential. Can change so much, alone or by eternal interference. Just like Daeva, with more skin and less power, however."

"That's the beauty of the human race. But underneath these virtues are some hidden evils I'm sure you're familiar with, being the aspect of rage. I wonder, Aeshma, what are your responsibilities?"

The rage demon chuckled. "Responsibilities? Hmm… not much to tell. I rehabilitate angry people in pocket realm of fire and brimstone. In past I was loyal soldier with low temper but today, I am god ironically embodiment of rage. Seems past never leaves me wherever travel."

"That's deep, Aeshma. If I were a god, I'd be doing what Molag Bal had done, just without the raping or killing though. It makes me think about our insignificance in this ever-expanding, ever-splitting universe. I mean, I can't create universes or destroy them with little effort like you guys do. I can't fully fortify my fate. I-"

Aeshma put a thumb on the dhampir's mouth. "You think too much. I think you need to think what you want and what you need to do - according to self-implied philosophies and desires - to be clear. Gods can do anything. No one can truly stop them unless they are gods themselves. Live by desire, dreams and most importantly - for yourself. Fear not to take, for world always provide."

' _Aeshma has taught me his own philosophy…'_

* * *

_SMASH! Your King of Cups Confidant has increased to Rank 2! Fusing Shadows from this Arcana will be stronger than usual!_

* * *

_~ ATTIC, LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, MONDAY, APRIL 18TH ~_

"We going to talk about Yoshizawa girl, yes?"

The dhampir took an interest in this rapidly growing discussion. "You sensed it too, huh? That alluring, fae smell?"

' _My other-self's got a girlfriend!'_ The dhampir reminded himself to make his ghost lifetime partner punch himself in the face. Twice.

"Not just smell of flesh alone, her mind… very dark; smell like ambrosia to us; glassy on inside, growing from dark memory upon dark memory." Aeshma said as he finished the surgery. "Done with implant. Wish to have group discussion tomorrow?"

"Not yet, the group has every right to know this but they don't need to get sidetracked." Morgana sternly replied. "For now, let's focus on preparing for Kamoshida's heist."

Nodding, the conversation ended with heavy suspense. Who is the faerie Sumire Yoshizawa, and what is in that noggin' of hers?

* * *

_~ SHADOW INFO ~_

_{JACK-O'-LANTERN}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Drain Fire_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Wind,_ _Ice_

_TRAIT: Fire Lineage -_ _Fire skills cost half as much SP._

_SKILLS:_ _Agi,_ _Rakunda_

* * *

_{AGATHION}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Electric +_ _Gun_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Wind_

_TRAIT: Magical Talisman -_ _All allies take 25% less damage from magical attacks._

_SKILLS:_ _Dia,_ _Baisudi_

* * *

_{MANDRAKE}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Electric_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Fire_

_TRAIT: Natural Screamer -_ _Debuff effects on foes last an extra turn._

_SKILLS:_ _Pulinpa,_ _Energy Drop_

* * *

_{CAIT SITH}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Electric_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Wind_

_TRAIT: Puss in Boots -_ _Dodge rate increased by 1.5x when surrounded._

_SKILLS:_ _Agi,_ _Cleave._ _Tarukaja,_ _Resist Sleep_

* * *

_{SILKY}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Ice_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Fire,_ _Electric_

_TRAIT: Hook and Reel -_ _Sleeping foes take more damage from attacks._

_SKILLS:_ _Dormina,_ _Bufu_

* * *

_{SLIME}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Physical +_ _Gun_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Wind,_ _Fire_

_TRAIT: Foul Contagion -_ _Increases chance of inflicting ailments after a Baton Pass_.

_SKILLS:_ _Lunge,_ _Evil Touch,_ _Tarunda_

* * *

_{ARCHANGEL}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Nullify Bless_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Electric,_ _Curse_

_TRAIT: Zealotry -_ _Bless skills are 25% more accurate and damaging._

_SKILLS:_ _Giant Slice,_ _Dazzler,_ _Hama_

* * *

_{ELIGOR}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Fire +_ _Curse_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Electric_

_TRAIT: Ruthless Tactician -_ _Downed foes take 50% more damage._

_SKILLS:_ _Maragi_ _, Sharp Student_ _, Tarukaja_ _, Double Fangs_

* * *

_{INCUBUS}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Electric_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Fire,_ _Bless_

_TRAIT: Beast on Bed -_ _Downed foes are more vulnerable to status effects._

_SKILLS:_ _Life Drain,_ _Dream Needle_

* * *

_{KELPIE}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Ice_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Electric_

_TRAIT: Waterborne -_ All allies have a higher chance to completely dodge fatal attacks.

_SKILLS:_ _Garu_ _, Lunge_

* * *

_{SUCCUBUS}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Fire,_ _Null Curse_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Wind,_ _Bless_

_TRAIT: Succulent -_ _Charmed foes attack more frequently._

_SKILLS:_ _Dormina,_ _Rebellion_

* * *

_{ANGEL}_

_STRENGTHS:_ _Resist Electric,_ _Null Bless_

_WEAKNESS:_ _Gun,_ _Curse_

_TRAIT: Bless Lineage -_ Bless skills cost half as much SP.

_SKILLS:_ _Kouha_ _, Makajama,_ _Dia_

* * *

_~ ROYAL WIND LORE HOUR ~_

_[DAEVAS - ZOROASTRIAN SCOURGES]_

_The Daevas are the progenitors of all biological life and unconscious malevolence. Alongside their bloodline, the Amesha Spentas, the progenitors of free will, equilibrium and benevolence, they see 'good' deeds as pitiful acts of stimuli and unite with each other to destroy and convert everything to Daeva property._

_Daeva biology consists of only a skull and the biomass it creates from its mask's pores. They can shapeshift, travel across multidimensional barriers without side effects and possess powers comparable to gods and deities in folklore. They can easily alter their physiology through the consumption of arcane energies and conceptual energy from sentient beings. Aka Manah, for example, feeds on human pessimism and void energy and has the power to topple powerful pantheons such as those from the Warhammer multiverse and absolutely, the anime universe. Place gives him the creeps, though…_

_All Daevas come from one being - Ahriman - the Anti-god of the Zoroastrian pantheon. His first creation was Aka Manah, the Daeva of malevolent will and cognition. He sees existence itself as his cosmic plaything and sentient beings as flesh puppets, treating them like dolls he'll throw away once they no longer amuse him. Simply put, he's a psychopathic dick 'evil' in every way imaginable. To humans, at least…_

_His reign of fate was over when his metaphysical form was torn asunder by his firstborn due to a squabble over character development and cosmic playgrounds. Akoman curiously wishes to see fleshlings grow and twist themselves into eldritch horrors, while Ahriman is only interested in damning souls to his domain and ultimately break them. Ever since then, the Daeva legion - Faylaq - as they call it, is now under Aka Manah's ownership. That was the moment when an ever-lasting peace was formed between the world and Daevas…_

_**NOT!** _

_Under Aka Manah's regime, the Faylaq had begun aggressive and violent takeovers at either converting worlds of various empires and their pantheons into demonic servants and conquerors or simply leash them like dogs to spread their words. In recent eons, his curiosity revealed him once more to the human race - a species of adaptive nature and physiology. His discovery of the realm of the human unconscious only further soothes his curiosity, with this universe's Nyarlathotep being his gambling partner. After winning and devouring him, however, he gave childcare a go and left his legions to fend for themselves._

_Wonder what a race of immortal beings of incomprehensible origins would look like? Look right here!_


	8. Confidant Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chariot, Hanged Man, Death, Hierophant and a mystery Tarot!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For a clear image, the werewolves in this universe look like the ones from Bloodborne. Imagine them wearing fitting clothes and shoes. Spoiler alert: they all wear leather.

_~ UNTOUCHABLE, CENTRAL STREET, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, TUESDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

"How can you work in this place? It's dustier than a Nordic tomb."

Ren was helping out Iwai with tidying the place. Much to his utter shock, the attic's been littered with cobwebs and creepy-crawlies. Like a parent scolding their child, he tidied the place up just as the shady man asked.

"Sorry. Too busy with my own business, alright? Be careful with the desk, by the way."

Seeing the boy nod, he returned to the counter. "By the way, I have some important business tonight, and I need your help." Ren perked his head up. "Shady shit?"

The man nodded, "Pronto. Here's my phone number. When I give you the signal, you call me. For the signal, it's when I cough, got it?"

"As long as it's worth it, you'll be fine." {BAKAMITAI} lets out a hiss, leaving the boy to himself. Iwai pats its head and tells Ren to go. "Don't you have an idiot blonde to take care of?"

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL} popped right out of his master's back. "Oh yeah. Ryuji. See ya, shady man!"

All the shady man grumbled was some indecipherable nonsense…

* * *

_~ COURTYARD, SHUJIN, AOYAMA-ITCHOME, AFTER SCHOOL, TUESDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

Ren the frizzy-haired dhampir lets his not-cat wander the streets to find his Volkihar associates. From what Vingalmo told him, it's clear Franken-Stalf and Orthjolf are somewhere in Tokyo. He was pretty vague with their location, however…

Back to present times, the thief and the pirate ran laps across the school tracks with their {STANDSONA}s. Did you know that fusing them with yourself can enhance your physical attributes? Very amazing, if I say so myself.

"Phew, this brings back memories… which make me somewhat self-conscious, for some reason…" Ren looked at him curiously. "That's a first."

"Back when I was in track team, duh." Ryuji looked guilty. His past still haunts him, it seems… "This is my… Uh, was my secret training spot. Back then, I could run faster than before without {KEELHAULED}'s help."

"Me beauties're what got yee where ya at, ya lyin' scoundrel!" An angry {KEELHAULED} shouted from Ryuji's shoulder.

"Gah, don't shout next to my ear, dammit!" The blondie rubbed his poor, poor ear. He awkwardly looks back at Ren and {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}. "Ignoring him, I was also planin' on hitting the gym now that we're fighting in that other world."

Ren was curious. "You're almost the size of Andre the Giant. Why would you want to train more?" His friend's face fell. "Back in the Palace, I wasn't able to move as freely as pre-incident. I feel so pathetic… That was why I started thinkin' about buildin' up my muscles again. Results have to be better than this wimpy body, right?"

"Wimpy is a heavy understatement, but lead the way!" The Twilight Dancer said, floating in midair in a sitting position. "Ya brought protein before we started, right? RIGHT!?"

Hmm… nope. He forgot the protein. "Shit, I knew I must've forgotten something…! Eh, doesn't matter. I'll be runnin' in no time…"

The dhampir knew he was suffering. "You can tell me, Ryuji. It'll ease the pain. It worked for Vingalmo, at least."

_'Not telling him about the "last of his kind" thing, though…'_

Giving up resistance, Ryuji sighed. "Before Kamoshida went kinky, the track team was the biggest thing the school had goin' for it. After you-know-what, our old coach got fired and left Mr. Cock-and-ball Torture as our instructor."

The blondie's tranquil fury was seeping out of his {STANDSONA} in the form of a red glow. "That bastard… he's already trying to disband us from the start. He'd give us workout schedules for werewolves, then when we can't do them, he'd add athlete-grade vampire regimes as 'corporal punishment'… You know what those regimes include, right?"

Ren gulped, "The boulder-lifting session's quite unbearable, I'll give you that." He crossed his arms. "So what made you snap? He called your om gay or something?"

"Similar, but not that absurd. Knowing my angsty temper, Kamoshida went after me. He knew I was the rebellious one… Few milliseconds slower? Cussing session, but I've endured worse." In that moment of strength, he unexpectedly expressed his immense guilt. "But the moment he brought up my parents…"

Ryuji continued. "Everything went red. It's as if my emotions began to override me, causing me to lash out at the cussing champion, ignoring the consequences… It's as if I accidentally activated my Limit Breaker while fighting some level 1 mob. It's just that not worth it…"

"It's easy to be angry, but being angry at the right time's the most difficult part of it all." It was Ren's turn to tell a story. "Back when I was a toddler, there was this giant prick called Vanifnir - used to push me and treat me like a doll back when I was a shy little boy."

"So what happened? Did you…" His eyes slowly widened.

He looked at his claws. "He's not dead, don't worry… In fact, we became real friends! Too bad he got transferred to Italy, though. Said something about gangs of possessed crime dealers over there."

"So ye bloodsuckers fight each other to the death just ta be shipmates with each other? Respect." Applauded a chuckling {KEELHAULED}, which got him an elbow from Ryuji. "Knock it off! So uh, how'd you two become friends again?"

Ren continued. "Weakness is frowned upon in vampiric society, no matter what kind. To answer Ryuji, I'll be going back to 2014… There was this one time when Vanifnir challenged me to a friendly spar - the day I awakened my hybrid-empowered powers. Truth be told, there was nothing friendly about it… He gut-punched me, elbowed me, pulled my hair and I wasn't able to dish out much damage. I would've lost…"

"…Then?"

The dhampir wore a sadistic smile. "He had the gall to call me a freak! The adrenaline kicked in… I remember seeing my nails sharpen into claws, slashed a big X across his chest and threw him into a tree! AHAHAHAHA…!"

The laughter died off when Ren saw his friends wear a pale face. He felt his cheeks tinge a slight pink. "S-sorry for the outburst… It was really exhilarating back then."

The mechanical pirate slapped his master's face twice, waking him up from his trance. "Oh uh, yeah. So what happened afterwards? I mean, the teachers couldn't ignore you guys, right?"

"We got in trouble. I get scolded by mom and dad. We had a restraining order. Yeah, the usual crap." Ren was interrupted by his lifetime companion in a red suit. "So why did ya lash out after he called your parents gay?"

"Very funny. The truth is… we're the only ones left in the family. My dad was a drunken dipshit when he was around. Somehow, Mr. Cock-and-ball Torture found out and spilled it to the whole goddamn team…"

Very Ryuji-like to possess such kindness and recklessness at the same time. "Guessing your look, it's clear he filled your limit bar…"

He sighed another breath. "Yep, totally went bonkers afterwards… I fell for his taunt, he called it an act of violence and got the authority to shut the team down. And now you know why they call me the 'track traitor'…"

He continued. "The worst part is that they weren't wrong. Because of me, they all lost their shots at the championship." He fell into a deep silence.

Looking at his poor friend, Ren asked for his answer. "But you didn't look back, did you?"

{KEELHAULED}'s skull emitted a blue glow. "Aye, but he still be a dead man tellin' no tales…"

"A limbo between yes, and a limbo between no." He quickly changed his demeanor after the rapid-firing questions. "C'mon, you two don't have to ask me tough questions like that. I'm not really smart, y'know!"

He flexed his left bicep with his other hand on it. "Anyways, it doesn't matter now. Best leave the past buried, I'd say. We gotta think about the future now - our futures! That's what we're gonna do, inheritor of the throne!"

"We'll see about that." The two slapped each others' hands.

* * *

_SMASH! Your Chariot Confidant has increased to Rank 2! Fusing Shadows from this_ _Arcana will be stronger than usual!_

* * *

"Now enough of the sappy stuff. Let's go for another round before we head out for lunch, eh?"

He and {KEELHAULED} took a head start, leaving their frizzy-haired friend to bite the dust. "Last one's a rotten egg!"

"Game on."

* * *

_~ DINER, SHIBUYA, EVENING, TUESDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

After dismissing Ryuji, Ren and Morgana met up with Iwai to eavesdrop on his old partner who was a mind flayer. Judging by the strong smell of tattoo ink underneath his scaly shirt, it's clear he's from the local Yakuza clan.

His broker and tentacular friend exchanged witty banter. On their table was bottles of Black-Briar mead, which was oddly fitting for the tavern-ish environment of the diner.

"Long time no see, comrade Mune. That intimidating look of yours still hasn't changed after all these years…"

Iwai gave the guy a cocky smirk. "Says the guy who rapes peoples' minds for a living…"

"To choose a place as mundane as this, you've really changed." The mind flayer jested, its tentacles wriggling around whilst soaked in saliva.

"Hey, don't knock this place. It's got strong drink for a cheap price too." He took a sip from his bottle of mead. "Nothing compared to Norway's Homingbrew Mead, though."

"Hehehe, all of this coming from the guy who decimated fifty gang members… at once!" The mind flayer licked his mead bottle clean.

_'Jokes on you, my dad once repelled a 100-mn army.'_ Ren joked in his mind.

Iwai, who wasn't taking the crap well, just replied, "Don't exaggerate."

The mind flayer scoffed, "Hmph, what do you wish to talk about?"

"How's Tsuda?" Straight to business, then. "No detours as always. Why, I politely ask?" He placed a hand on his table. "Nothing special. Just saw him 'round the other day."

"Hmm? Did you two not cut ties with your clan? Why the sudden interest?"

The ex-Yakuza scratched the back of his head. "I figured it's time we seal the deal, but goin' up to him directly would be…"

The squid-man tapped his slimy fingers playfully. "Ooooh, still following your code of honor? Alright. To reward you for being a cut above the rest, I shall contact him!"

"No, you idiot. I want us to end up in the same place at the same time. It's more flashy if it's a convenience." Iwai said. That complicates matters.

"If you desire so, Shibaura might work… since we're talking about redeveloping it…" Said squid-man replied.

' _Shibaura…'_ Iwai thought.

The worn-out gunsmith coughed twice. Looks like it's time to go.

"That's the signal!" whispered Morgana from his bag. Ren quickly pulled out his phone and subtly called his boss.

"Are you ill, comrade Iwai?" The concerning mind flayer asked.

The 'sickly' man waved him off as he pulled out his vibrating phone. "Nah, it's just a cold."

"Yes, a cold that can potentially kill a measly human-" Iwai continued ignoring his former comrade. "Hello? Yeah, how's it goin'? What? Your order's all wrong…? My bad, I'll get back and take care of it straight away."

The gunsmith stood up ready to leave. "Sorry, I gotta run. Unsolved business. Let's talk another time, eh?"

"Fair departures to you, then." The thuggish squid-man bowed. The ex-Yakuza left the scene.

Moments later, Iwai spoke to his apprentice through his phone. "Don't hang up. Get me close to Masa's phone, alright? And stay quiet so I can eavesdrop on him."

The mind flayer in casual clothes, named Masa, casually called someone else. Probably another shady dude. "Comrade Tsuda, this is Masa. Comrade Iwai has just asked about your whereabouts and yes, I did just as you instructed."

He turned around to notice the frizzy-haired kid. "What are you gazing at…?"

"The special menu on the wall. Sorry if I startled you." He simply replied.

The mind flayer rolled his eyes and returned to his phone call. "Oh, nothing special. Some human child was staring at me… Back to the matter at hand, it seems comrade Iwai has caught wind about your secret trading route and now he's trying to profit from it as well…"

Gibbering, gibbering, gibbering. "M-my apologies! It's just… yes. Apologies, and I understand."

Masa quickly left with his tentacles squirming about. He was in quite a hurry.

After Ren relayed his info to Iwai, {BAKAMITAI} growled angrily but it slowly cooled down when the man fed it some biscuits. "I know, boy. Tsuda's been doin' weird shit lately."

"Should I be taking that as an insult, _Tatsu_?" Ren sarcastically jokes.

The man growled. "Ever since the discovery of you fairy tale freaks, it's rather normal to see you guys hang out in human areas. But I know Tsuda, and he rarely deals in the first place."

His exhausting voice began to disappear and became more cheerful. "But hey, you're done for the day; I'll have to drop a thank you later. 'Cause honestly? I wasn't expectin' much out of ya."

* * *

_SMASH! Your Chariot Confidant has increased to Rank 2! Fusing Shadows from this_ _Arcana will be stronger than usual!_

* * *

"You'd be surprised with what we can do.

Iwai chuckled at his protege. "You mosquitoes were a cut above us, after all. Order a blood packet for yourself. My treat."

"I want fatty tuna!"

"Hmm, kitty wants the beans? Okay!" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} teased.

"NO!"

"If ya say so."

* * *

_~ LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

The shop had already closed, yet Sojiro was still at his same spot brewing coffee next to his pot of nirnroot. Why it still glows and makes sounds is still a mystery to logic-obsessed biologists.

"You're back."

The dhampir and his pet cat had returned from their latest job. Their broker was kind enough to pay for their diner dinner despite a recent fight between a certain cat and mystic gecko or something.

The chief eyed them suspiciously. "I trust you're not doing anything inconspicuous during your free time."

Ren scoffed at the café owner. "I wish. This city's blood looks AND smells like shit."

Sojiro sighs, turning off his brewer. "That's what city life does… Rots the minds of countless people. Be glad you're a bumpkin and not a townie like me." He tosses the kid an apron. "Now help me out with the dishes."

"You don't need to ask."

* * *

_~ A FEW MOMENTS LATER… ~_

In Ren's opinion, the old man really needs to learn how to be polite. Guess beggars can't be choosers, after all. Meh, he'll introduce him to Orthjolf later. If he can find him first.

While he was tidying up, Sojiro said, "Hey, kid,"

"Hmm?"

Sojiro continued. "During these short weeks, I thought you were just some rancid punk who got caught feeding on some super-important figure. But I've seen delinquents and savagery at work, and ignoring your teenage smugness, I can tell you're just some regular kid tryin' to piss nobody off."

"Aw, you do care," spoke the Toudou. His caretaker only sighs, "From the moment I took you in, I had to play it safe. Or consequences be damned, I might lose the entire café to your shenanigans."

"You make it sound like me burning down your house is a possibility."

"Not in our reality, at least," He pulls out a simple cigar and a lighter. "I have to report to your probation officer twice a month. It's already as problematic as it is, so please don't make me write even more crap than usual."

He brushes his beard. "Got that? This society is kept in check by laws and authority figures."

The dhampir was dissatisfied with the answer. _'Corrupt and morally unethical figures, sadly…'_

"You can go and get yourself killed if you want, but don't go dragging other people into your mess. The last thing we need is more people like you roaming around."

A vibrating sound came from Sojiro's pockets. Is it a date? Nah, he looks way too old to ever get a girl. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

Untranslatable gibberish. "Yeah, I'm heading out. Sorry about that."

More gibberish. "…I know. The usual, right? Ok, I'll see you later."

CLICK!

"As you can see, I'm pretty damn busy both at work and in my private life. It'd be a huge help if you could take care of the store for me. We'll make it a two-way deal: hard labor for some insight on coffee brewing. Not a bad trade, eh?"

Morgana hopped out of the bag, meowing, "That sounds like a great proposal. You should accept his offer."

"Whatever the cat's saying, I'm pretty sure it wants you to agree with me. What do you say?" Frizzy Hair smugly tilted his glasses. "Sounds interesting. A royal member of the vampiric world should definitely be a Jack-of-All-trades, if that includes making a nice cup of coffee."

"Alright. Looks like we've come to an agreement."

* * *

_~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~_

' _I am_ _ **thou**_ _, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a_ _**new** _ _vow._

_It shall invoke wisdom_

_that has long since been_ _ **lost** _ _._

_With the_ _**awakening** _ _of the Hortative Hierophant,_

_You have tapped into ancient knowledge_

_so_ _**eldritch** _ _yet wisest…'_

A tarot card of the Hierophant tied with chains appears before him. Instantaneously, the chains break, revealing the picture of a bearded man on a black throne, with a staff on his left hand and a thumbs-down gesture on his right.

' _The Hierophant seeks counsel he cannot obtain alone! Only through spiritual guidance can he regain his true identity!'_

* * *

_~ LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, TUESDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2033 ~_

"Would you look at the time? Get some sleep, kid. You still have school tomorrow, right? Also, be considerate to the extra guardian your clan sent you, okay? See ya."

With that said, the fedora-lacking coffee master left the store with a smirk. The boy reminded him of his old days. Back when he… It didn't matter. He made a promise to never look back and was happy with it.

{CAT SCRATCH FEVER} appeared out of thin air, staring at the troubled adult. It let out a low-pitched roar, which Morgana immediately understood. "Boss looked troubled at the door. Should we investigate?"

"Later. We and the Shadows wanna get some grub tomorrow!" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} floated next to Ren. The Shadows in his psyche all cried out for more delicacies to eat. Sighing, the dhampir went to bed with his talking cat.

* * *

_~_ _TAKEMI'S CLINIC, YONGEN-JAYA, AFTER SCHOOL, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2033 ~_

Ren decided to pay another visit to the Takemi's clinic. He needed ailment-dispelling pills or capsules for the go. Ryuji and Ann went to shop for overrated snacks for 'cognitive flavour', much to Morgana's specific dismay against Ryuji.

When you need shady drugs for shady missions like journeying into the human psyche, you need suppliers and contracts like regular businessmen have. The only difficulty is keeping absolute subtlety to yourself. For a half-breed like Ren, that's gonna be a problem…

Fortunately, luck was on the side of Ren 'Amamiya' Toudou!

Takemi, leaning on the walls, asked the boy, "So you want the rumored medicine, huh?"

Seeing the boy nod, she locks the door and throws an accusing glare at him. "So… how many eavesdroppers do you own to hear that?"

The boy didn't say anything.

"No answer? Fine, vampire clans seem to have infinite supplies of those these days."

' _Now that I think about it, I heard people are somewhat resistant to Vampire's Seduction these days…'_ Ren idly thought.

"Tell me; why would a high schooler like yourself be so interested in my forbidden research?" The doctor menacingly asked.

The temperature in the room suddenly plummeted, but Ren's cold resistance forbade him from shivering. "It's for my studies. Even immortal brains need something to back them up, you know?"

The punk rock-fashioned doctor wasn't entirely convinced. Perhaps it was the tone. "Brainpower…? Oh, for the entrance exams? So you're looking to improve your concentration and reduce fatigue? Hm, that's not a good idea."

"But if that's what you want to do…" She unlocks the door. "Then good luck with that. I have no obligation to help you with that. Why don't you grab a blood packet mixed with Red Bull or something?" The doctor suggested.

"Words aren't getting through, Joker!" The not-cat whispered from his bag.

Ren decided to use a final resort. "I'll report you."

The nefarious-looking doctor gave him an annoyed look. "You're really irritating, you know that? The medicine I make costs as much as wyvern bones, and it's definitely not something a high schooler can get his hands on." She puts her clipboard aside. "Got it? So how about you just go home-"

**OPPORTUNITY!**

"Counter-offer: I introduce you to some of my clan's greatest alchemists and exotic ingredients, in exchange for your medicine. Deal?" Ren smirked.

' _I found this Feran Sadri fellow in your brain. He's the potion-mixer you mentioned?'_ Every Shadow in the Wild Card's mind was digging through every of their master's memories like they're paper files in metallic containers.

_Yes, now stop scurrying through my brain; you're a part of me._

Takemi smirked. "No need to go this far. All I wanted was a willing guinea pig, you see…"

"Deal." The dhampir quickly replied.

"Like that? You teenage vampires and your silly stunts." The doctor shakes her head, sighing, "Give me a moment, I need to get my supplies."

Second later, she comes back with a vial of blood-red fluid. Fortunately for him, the smell wasn't TOO poisonous. "Have a taste. Rest assured, your almighty liver should filter out all the harmful components which might kill you."

"Well… YOLO!" He chugs the whole vial into his mouth, wasting no breath.

Much to Takemi's utter shock, she muttered, "I can't believe you actually drank it all in one go…"

He could hear {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} and the Shadows inside him screaming in agony. _'What the hell is that taste!?'_

Shortly after, Ren fell onto the floor unconscious…

* * *

_~ MINUTES LATER… ~_

As Ren slowly woke up, he could see the punk doctor writing onto her clipboard. "Good, you're awake."

"What the hell did you just give me…?" The dhampir's head was still recovering from the poison. Takemi silently said to herself, "Note to self: never mix canis root and bone meal together. Do you remember what happened after you drank the vial?"

"Like crap… I can't even remember what happened after I drank the whole thing…"

The doctor replied with a simple nod. "You briefly woke up from your short coma, but you were completely dazed during the entire examination. You eventually lost consciousness, and fell back asleep."

She gives the boy a strict look. "Are you out of your mind? Only an idiot would have done that."

"You made it sound like I had no choice when you gave me that choice from earlier." Ren deadpanned.

The doctor replied, "Fine. By the way, the reason you lost consciousness was because of the taste. It produces a noxious fume when it's mixed with gastric juices, similar to strumming."

She sighed, "Oh well. All that matters is that thanks to you, I was able to get some good data. It's my turn to make good on my part of the deal, now that you've woken up. I don't want to let the general public know about my original potions. Now as a reminder, you're strictly prohibited from disclosing anything that has transpired here… Understood?"

"I look forward to your cooperation." Said the boy in a vigilant tone. Takemi smirked as wide as the Grinch, "As long as you come here for it, I'll give you the medicine at a good price whenever you want. I might even add additional selections in due time."

Takemi finalized the deal. "I look forward to your continued patronage."

' _I made a deal with Takemi…'_

* * *

~ REN'S UNCONSCIOUSNESS ~

' _I am_ _ **thou**_ _, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a_ _**new** _ _vow._

_It shall lead to new beginnings_

_of_ _**severing** _ _from the pains of the past._

_With the_ _**awakening** _ _of Death the Dutiful,_

_You have begun to cast off the shell_

_man calls_ _**weakness** _ _during times of ignorance…'_

A tarot card of the Death tarot tied with chains appears before him. Instantaneously, the chains break, revealing the picture of a skeletal figure decapitating a man who seems to be a member of royalty, next to a few extra corpses.

' _Death has been unleashed onto this world once again! However, it stubbornly idles and move forward it refuses. Fix this at once!'  
_

* * *

_~ TAKEMI'S CLINIC, YONGEN-JAYA, AFTER SCHOOL, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2033 ~_

"I look forward to your cooperation as well, Dr. Takemi." The boy spoke in a low tone, trying to be serious about the whole ordeal.

"You're not intimidating anyone, Ren." A certain black feline from a duffle bag muttered.

Noticing the cat, Takemi smirked. "I knew it. Your entire look tells me you're a cat person."

The boy scratched his head with a tint of pink on his pale face. "They're fuzzier than dogs, I guess…"

"I share your sentiments, my little guinea pig…" That laugh in the end made the air even awkward for the two. Before he could leave, the doctor stopped him, "I also happen to have a special delivery for another vampire, coincidentally. Here, now scurry along. My client's very impatient."

* * *

_~ VINGALMOBILE, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2033 ~_

…And the client is Vingalmo. It's easy to link the dots when there aren't that many of Ren's kind around Tokyo. He spotted him hanging around his custom spray-painted ambulance the dhampir personally dubbed the **Vingalmobile**.

As Ren walked towards him with his package, the masked high elf harshly snatched it off his hands. "You may leave- oh, it's you. I might as well give you something for compensation, knowing that Akaviri witch doctor's Dibellan ways. Here."

The proud Vingalmo handed the more humble Ren a potion of blood. "Off you go now, fledgling. You have little right to exchange banter with a superior species such as myself."

Not 'no rights', eh? Potential Confidant, I presume? "You obviously need company. Why don't we go have a drink."

The haughty elf didn't deny but snorted with arrogance. "Fine. We'll talk at your inn."

"We call it cafes here. The boss is gonna like to meet his clan's greatest Bloodmonger of the Magicks Department, don't you think?" The dhampir elbowed his elven friend's shoulder.

Sighing, the elf quickly departed for Leblanc with his family friend's fledgling.

* * *

_~ LEBLANC, YONGEN-JAYA, EVENING, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2033 ~_

Just as Sojiro finished cleaning his dishes, the doorbell clinked as a shaded duo entered the already closing cafe.

"We're closed-" The man sees two familiar faces, one of them being an exotic altmer vampire. "So you're in charge of Tokyo, huh?"

As the elf took off his mask, he scoffed, "Mer do a better job at keeping the peace in strict countries."

The grouchy boss ignores his words and pours him some leftover coffee. "Yeah, here."

The elf elegantly sips the cup with his pale yellow lips. He sighs, "How you Akaviri vampires make such delicate beverages, I might never understand…"

"Just like how elves are proficient with magic, I also dabble in alchemy, in case you didn't know."

Ren silently smirks at Sojiro, "I doubt you can even make a simple stamina potion…"

"Guess you'll just have to teach me, then. It'd make a fair trade of skill between us, wouldn't it?" The old man said with a wide smile until the boy raised both his arms in midair. "Hell no, I only know the procedures for making blood potions. What's worse is Feran spitting it out of disgust and forcing me to clean his carpet as punishment for failing alchemy class."

The ex-Thalmor agent rolled his eyes. "Insufferable dunmer always have such surreal expectations for their students. Of all the Mer who survived, _he_ had to be one of them."

"Still holding grudges from the past?" The cafe owner sighed with pity in his breath. "I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life, but take it from me, just let the past be the past. Clinging onto a rope does more harm than benefit in cases such as yours."

"Unless you're on a cliff and the rope's the only thing preventing you from tumblin' down to your death." The funny {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} jested.

The three shared a whole night's time in friendly banter regarding the flawed political system of the humans and the mystery man's mistake for fucking with the Volkihars in the first place.

"So how's mom and dad doing back home? I haven't gotten any calls for a while…"

The elf frowned. "Your curfew refrains you from direct calls. Besides that, Toudou and Sonomura are still busy with a lot of things right now."

Ren wore a saddened look. The atmosphere turned bitter as Sojiro's coffee. Unable to bear the thick air, Vingalmo sighs, "Fate had not been kind for us all."

"You can say that again…" The tired Sojiro lights his cigar, breathing out a smoke cloud filled with regret.

Every person in the cafe was having their own trip to Memory Lane. Ren had his flashback with the psychic politician. Vingalmo with his own witness of elvenkind's destruction. Sojiro… lost in a coffee brewing tournament?

Morgana whimpered, popping his head out of the bag, "Are you okay, Ren?"

"Yeah, I'm fine… Just give me some time, okay?"

Looking at the clock, the altmer secretary began to leave. "I appreciate the free beverage but I must part now. Fledgling Amamiya needs his sleep, and you have school tomorrow. If you ever need assistance with blood potions, feel free to stop by the alley, but don't expect them to be free."

"Me too. Close the sign for me, would you?" Vingalmo nodded and did as he asked for the coffee he brewed.

The café owner looked at the kid, "Get some sleep, kid. You deserve an honest break."

Ren and his pet cat called it for another day with a sour note.

* * *

_~ ROYAL WIND LORE HOUR ~_

_[FERAN SADRI - THE LONELY SUNEATER]_

_Feran Sadri is the Dunmer alchemist for the Volkihar Clan. He was, and is still well-known for his recipes of vampiric sunscreen and fireproof tonics, as well as being the few remaining dark elves to roam the surface of Nirn/Earth._

_Before he was a vampire, Feran Sadri journeyed with his relatives Geldis, Idesa and Revyn Sadri and had a unique talent for alchemy. Before the Red Mountain erupted, forcing the dunmer to abandon their homeland of Morrowind in search of new shelter, Feran had already left to study the secrets of alchemy. After separation, Feran was infected with Sanguiare Vampiris and became a vampire not long after. It was only during the late Third Era did he discover Harkon and the truth of the vampire lord. When Harkon lended him a hand, he accepted in order to further indulge himself in his alchemical achievements._

_For hundreds of years, the talented elf brewed and slaughtered in the name of the Volkihars as long as he can gain access to newer, powerful magicks and better ingredients for his own witchcraft. When he caught wind of his relatives' fates, he wrote to each a letter of his own, wishing to know how they're faring in the world. Much to his disappointment, they never replied back._

_Just like all vampiric elves, he witnessed the terrifying elven extinction event caused by Masser's destruction, leaving the Volkihar elves and all elven vampires with a powerful grudge for the worthless Aedra. He tried to find his remaining kin and his journey was all for naught. They have disappeared without a trace, as if some other powerful force other than the Daedra had taken them to another plane of existence…_

_For the rest of his cold days, Feran Sadri would continue to provide and harshly educate the soon-to-be alchemists of the united clans. Investigations say that he seems to have taken a liking to children, although he claims that he sees them as cattle rather than raw, untapped potential._

_Further research is required for confirmation._

" _Leg? Check. Rib cage? Check. Rectum- Ronthil, get out of the way."_

* * *

_[VINGALMO - THE ELVEN KEEPER]_

_Vingalmo was a Thalmor agent who wrote a Treatise speculating his ancestors' immense magical prowess during the Merethic Era and the infamous Night of Tears. After joining the Volkihar Clan and gaining immortality, he continued his work in recovering his elven heritage._

_During the Fourth Era, he gained intel that the College of Winterhold had obtained the Eye of Magnus - a magical artifact directly related to the Night of Tears massacre. Without much deterring movement from his usual routine, he observed the transpiring events from the Dragonborn returning with the books required to study it to a catastrophic event caused by one of his former Dominion's agents. Needless to say, the whole observation was rich in raw knowledge for him._

_After the Aldmeri Dominion lost the Second Great War which formed the Fifth Era, the altmer race had been shamed throughout Tamriel, with no hope of ever rising to glory… That was when the vampire lost all faith for his own kind, eventually abandoning his heritage entirely to the Volkihars._

_But that all changed when Masser left the orbit…_

_The resulting meteor strike completely devastated the ecosystem for the race of Mer. While the Stormcloak remnants from the early Fourth Era cheered in the glory of Talos, the vampiric altmer did all he could to hoard elven heritages, with the help of his elven comrades. In the end, he was able to gather relics from the Dawn Era as they watched racist nords burn down the remaining elven structures and towns, leaving only ash and forgotten memories in their wake._

_Up and now, Vingalmo continues to harbour his lonely existence as he continues to safeguard all of elvenkind's remaining knowledge with him until the bitter end._

" _You accuse me of my connections with the Dominion, yet you neglect the fact that I left them for something greater. Know your place, or shall I help you remember?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to give ideas regarding Vingalmo's tarot card.
> 
> Note: School work refuses to give me free time.


	9. Panic Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Workout day gone south!

_~ GYM ALLEY, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH, 2033 ~_

After getting a new set of powerful Shadows including {KODAMA}, {BLACK OOZE} and {INUGAMI} from the casual long-nose and his adorably irritating wardens, Ren Amamiya and Ryuji Sakamoto headed straight for the gym because they thought it'd increase their Charm more.

As the boys arrived at the gym, they quickly changed into sportswear and began treadmilling in order to train their endurance.

The gym was a quiet place in comparison to the crowded streets of Shibuya. Everyone in there was minding their own businesses, taking care of their own messes and ridding their odorous bodies of sweat. The equipment, while slightly outdated, was still functionable at a basic level, if it's not drenched in sweat and someone actually bothered to clean them.

Right now, Ryuji is on the treadmill rehabilitating his feet while Ren is aiming {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s ridiculously sharp nails at Ryuji's rear. "Come on, boomer! Move those legs! Shake those hips!"

"CAN YOU NOT POINT THOSE THINGS AT ME!?" Ryuji urgently yelled. "I'm not lookin' for a scaretology lesson here!"

"It's scatology, Ryuji," The dhampir on the sidelines deadpanned. By the time the blond muscle had tired out his legs, he took a towel and proceeded to wipe himself.

"Man, I'm beaaaaaaaaaaat…"

Ren stretched his lean arms. "At least your Endurance increased. You and {KEELHAULED} should be better tanks on the field by the 4th or 5th time we come here."

"So what, you're a support class?" Ryuji jested. "I'm more of a… Wild Card; if you catch my drift."

The thieving partners and their ghost slaves LOL'd while holding their protein drinks like a drunken Nord with their mead. "But in all seriousness, I'd be a DPS/support priest hybrid."

"Are you two done?" A black cat said from his bag. "It's getting late. Plus, you two really need a bath. Especially you, Ryuji…"

"Don't need a cat to tell me that-" Ryuji stuttered.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

"N-no, look!"

The blondie pointed at a diminutive figure outside the closing door. The boys (cat included) quickly turned their heads towards the familiar figure, accidentally causing him to flee.

"I have some feeling it's related to us. Last one's a rotten egg!" Ren and his cat ran forward to leave their friend to bite the dust.

"HEY, NO FAIR!"

* * *

_~ SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH, 2033 ~_

As they gave chase, Morgana and {CAT SCRATCH FEVER} flew headfirst and slightly above the masses.

The timid figure hurried their way through the thick crowd, using them as cover from their pursuers. Clever move to use mindless NPCs as meat shields…

Swiftly avoiding the crowd, the flying man-cat spat out a clothes iron dead on the mystery escapee's knee, coincidentally causing them to trip into an alleyway.

' _Nice shot, Mona!'_

The trio cornered him in a CCTV blindspot. And surprise, surprise! The boy… was Yuuki Mishina!

The interrogation begins with Ren Amamiya as the bad cop. "Why are you stalking us?"

Mishina stuttered. "I… um…"

"No need to get nervous. Just tell us why you're here, and we won't make you." The teary Mishina flinched more from the blondie's posture. If his Guts had been any lower, he would've needed a new wardrobe of underwear. Unexpectedly, he bowed to them.

"I'M SORRY!" He screamed with sorrow. Tears and snot ran down his bruised face like sorrowful souls travelling though the River Styx. This only served to confuse the thieves trio. "…What?"

"We stood there and took it… Even though it clearly was abuse, we just stood there and took them like cowards…"

Ren, Ryuji and Morgana immediately felt pity for his lot. "Chin up, man! You're just takin' care for yourself. If anyone's at fault, it's gotta be those shitty adults who run the place!" The vulgar blondie said, gritting his teeth.

Ren patted the skinny boy's shoulder. "It's alright to be scared. You're opening up now so that shows you're already improving-"

"I LEAKED YOUR RECORDS TO THE SCHOOL!" Mishina suddenly shouted.

The fact managed to shock Ryuji and Morgana (plus their Standsonas). "…What?"

"Kamoshida… he said if I didn't leak your criminal records and biography to the school website, he'd kick me out of the volleyball team. It was all I had, and if he did, I'd be a bigger loser than I am right now…"

He bitterly laughed. "I'm worthless… Just hit me and get it over with like Kamoshida did…"

"No."

' _We got our own code a' honor, laddie.'_

"W-why…?"

"We're better than the prick," Ryuji was pissed; not at the cowardly boy, but the person who started this whole saga to begin with. "Besides, I think you did RenRen a favor for leaking those records of his."

Mishina looked at a smirking Ren. "At least those worthless fucks won't bother any of us." He patted Mishina's shoulders with some force. "Now be a good boy and stop letting yourself be controlled by those bad guy adults."

"Um, about that…"

' _What now?'_

"He's planning to expel all of you during the next meeting as a last resort."

Frustrated, the dhampir pinched his forehead as his blonde companion typed to his other blonde female companion. Afterwards, the latter received several less than adequate texts about peeling off Kamoshida's foreskin and hanging him with his entrails and stuff.

"Just… go home, alright? We'll handle this situation soon enough." The bluenette tried to raise a finger but it was quickly hushed. "No, we won't kill or injure him. As I've said, don't get involved; you'll put yourself at risk and get into trouble soon enough."

Mishina sadly obliged and began to leave. Before a blonde brute shouted after scurrying through his bag. "Aw shit, I left my wallet back at the gym!"

Rolling his eyes, the trio ran back to the gym whilst leaving behind a scared MIshina.

"W-wait up!"

* * *

_~ GYM, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH, 2033 ~_

The gym was empty. Literally.

In the past few minutes, the place was filled with sweaty jocks in tank tops. There was even this spiky-haired coach in an entire track suit, nevertheless.

The atmosphere felt… odd. The silence in the room was deafening, as if they've detached themselves from reality. Excluding Mishina's breathing, of course.

The group continued to walk across the empty space. "Where'd everyone go? It was packed a few minutes ago!" Ryuji shouted.

The dhampir steeled himself for what might come. "Everyone, get your guards up." Morgana muttered.

_'I don't like the looks of this, boss…'_ {KODAMA} the wind spirit scarily whispered, floating in midair alongside {INUGAMI} and {ELIGOR}.

_'The menacin' air shoulda ticked us off by now.'_ The nervous {KEELHAULED} muttered.

"Well, well, well… Look who fell right into my trap…"

The guys turned the faces around urgently. By the door was a man with fashion senses as ridiculous as the thieves. He spotted a light orange mohawk, a nose piercing on the right wing of his nose and dark purple eyelid makeup. He wore a dark shirt with the words 'DEAF PUNK' stamped in the middle, accompanied by an orange vest attached with various golden (fake) badges depicting angry-looking skulls. His blue jeans matched well with his mountain-climbing shoes in terms of aesthetic and style, both of them looking worn-out and rugged after a daily dose of ass-kicking.

"So, it seems your rat told you something you two should ever know in the first place," The punk started walking forward, forcing the teens' Standsonas and Shadows to block his advance. "Back off."

"Oooooh, you are feisty!" The mohawked creep licked his lips lustfully. The gang cringed and shivered intensely. "Too bad Kamo-chan wants y'all dead on the spot. Ever since you fuckers showed up, bad things have been happening to his school and his reputation. Now that he's been somewhat… on edge, he finally grew the balls to call for cleanup."

"He's a coward, letting others do his dirty work for him. I get that a lot." Ren taunted.

Said assassin took out a photo of Kamoshida smiling arrogantly at the camera and licked it slowly across the frames, covering the whole thing with disgusting mucus. "Maybe, or he knows that we individuals are best at dealing with occult beings such as you. We were born with, shall we say, an extraordinary talent."

"Then would you kindly show us some of your talent?" The rest entered battle poses.

"Alright, bad boy!" The punk assassin posed. And in an instant, steam sprayed out of his armpits. "I, Grant Whelman, shall crush you with my deadly ability!"

* * *

**DANGER!**

Steam erupted across the room, taking away their sense of vision. The black cat left his duffle bag and summoned {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}, climbing on its back and attached itself onto the ceiling.

Ren gritted his teeth, hiding his fake glasses back into his tracksuit. "Gah, armpit gas… Ryuji, can you make {KEELHAULED} blow away the steam?"

"Nothing's getting out of this room without my permission, fellas. Even with your fancy tricks, there's no way you can get rid of this smoke without knocking me out first." Grant taunted the trio.

"Amamiya, what do we do!?" Mishina the cowardly bluenette panicked. The dhampir replied, "Find cover! We'll deal with the punk-"

"REN, IN FRONT OF YOU!"

In an instant, a strong sucker punch landed itself on the frizzy-haired teen's jaw, sending him flying against the lockers with immense force.

"REN! WHY YOU LITTLE- AGH!" Ryuji found himself stepping on a sharp nail that penetrated his old sneakers. Holding his bleeding foot, he screamed, "This guy fights dirty!"

"I appreciate the compliment, but you're really not my type." The assassin casually spoke.

Another nail came flying at Ryuji's chest. Fortunately, a Garu blast detoured its trajectory towards one of the fake equipment.

"Be careful, you moron!" The gang of Shadows randomly sent out gusts of magic at each direction, forcing the punk to relentlessly hop around in the deceiving fog.

"To think a mere cat could possess such an ability… It makes this fight much more interesting!" The punk began to laugh maniacally, randomly throwing his nails to stop the landborne {ELIGOR} from charging straight into him. "Come out here so I can rape your scrawny asses!"

The stealthy Ren crawled through the floor without making a sound. _'He filled the ground with nails… Dammit, I can't warp without piercing myself a bit…!'_

_'We just gotta use long-range tactics like campers do!'_

_'Good idea!'_

The Third Eye ability combined with Ren Toudou's vampiric senses to create a powerful radar. _'When I shout out our attack, we'll divert that Wheelman prick's attention to us. He must have some experience to locate us through sound alone. Tell the others to distract them while we secure a reliable sight…'_

The well-dressed phantom phased through the shadows and under Ryuji's. "Hey kid, do me a solid and piss off the bisexual!"

"Wait, I thought he was gay- Ugh, nevermind…" The blonde carefully stood up, breathed deeply and shouted, "YOUR FASHION SENSE SUCKS!"

"FOUND YOU!" Grant picked out a switchblade and slashed at Ryuji. Sakamoto dodged, but his jacket got a new tear thanks to that. Before nearly falling onto a pool of nails, the blonde quickly supported himself by groping onto a nearby treadmill.

Sadly, he'll need to be faster than he already is. "Kamo-chan, I'm coming!" Whelman yelled out, lunging at the fallen pirate with his switchblade.

"SEE YOU IN 25 KILOMETERS PER HOUR, ASSHOLE!"

{KEELHAULED} reappeared from Ryuji's mind and used his rusty appendages to overcharge the treadmill with a surge of electricity. In an instant, his master was flung across the other side of the gym.

"You're not getting away from me!- !?" Whelman, blinded by surprise, slipped on another appendage left by {KEELHAULED} and landed his face straight on the treadmill, leaving a huge, crimson gash on it.

Ryuji crash landed onto the dumbbell shelf and got a minor concussion.

"M-my face… my pretty face!" Grant cried out.

To add insult to injury, a gale of wind sent flying nails onto the punk's face like raining hail. Recovering from his injuries, the blonde warrior yelled at him. "You're done for, pedophile!"

Before Grant the assassin could retaliate, another voice caught their attention. "EIHA SHOT!"

' _Shit…!'_ The assassin panicked and threw his remaining nails at random directions.

Before the maniacal menace's nails could even touch {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}, he shot a sharp needle from his trigger finger that flew straight towards Grant Whelman's forehead. One of the assassin's nails flew straight into the ghost's visor (eye).

The shot penetrated Whelman's skull and sent him tripping back, and boy, did it hurt like hell. However, he recovered quickly, gnarling like a rabid dog. "TIME TO DIE, SILLY BOY!" The horny assassin threw a punch at the dhampir's eye-

-Only for the fist to completely phase through him like thin air.

"What the hell?" He looked back at his hands, and they were ghostly transparent.

' _Wait, I can see myself!'_

The punk sees his own body moving on its own, with the needle in his head intact. _'What am I doing back there? And the needle's not been removed! Did I misunderstand what was going on!? I thought I was moving a little lighter… but my body's still moving, and my consciousness jumped out, and that's what's over there?'_

The assassin realized too late… as {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} and {KEELHAULED} threw a punch at his limping body.

_'Shit! I have to dodge…!'_

As the fists dug deep into Grant's face, his consciousness instantly returned to his body.

' _A sharp pain… A sharp pain is gradually hitting me!'_

A small molar from Grant's gums cracked and flew straight out of his mouth. _'It's not that the freak's slow… It's that my consciousness got separated!'_

"MUDA!"

"ORA!"

The gay assassin's body was sent flying towards the setries of lockers another blue-haired boy was hiding in; he could feel his jawbones cracking and falling apart after each second of his rough landing.

Wincing in pain, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} pulled the lingering nail out of his cracked visor, earning a pained reaction from his bonded master.

A beam of green light from {CAT SCRATCH FEVER}'s eyes enveloped the dhampir's eye. The punctured membrane quickly regenerated, restoring his lost sight.

**HOLD UP!**

{KODAMA}, {INUGAMI} and {ELIGOR} quickly held their spears at the downed Whelman. The rest of the teenagers cracked their knuckles. "Give up yet, pedo?"

Surrounded and near death's door, the assassin kept coughing up blood. "Don't get… cocky, you lil' shits! I've been in the bounty hunter game for a while, so I know every trick in the book. As the great Plato once said, 'Cunning is but the low mimic of wisdom.'"

"What are you on about, ingrate!?" An impatient {ELIGOR} demanded, pointing his crimson spear at the dying rogue.

Emerging from the Sea of Souls, an android with shoulders pads of steel, with crash test dummy logos stitched across its skinny body, robotic joints and limbs and a humanoid face similar to its master appeared out of thin air.

"YOU NEVER REVEAL THE TRICK UP YOUR SLEEVE!"

A robust figure sweeped the entire room with a powerful Madara-Megido.

"BEHOLD, MY STANDSONA - {PANIC ROOM}!"

The non-discriminating blast immediately forced the Wild Card's Shadows to retreat back to their masters' psyches and the other thieves' backs to the floor. Morgana, having taken the full force of the almighty blast, had fallen unconscious with patches of burnt fur.

Ryuji got an even bigger concussion when he slammed his head against the wall.

Ren may not have taken as much damage as his pet did, but he wasn't out of the safe zone yet.

Meanwhile, Mishina was busy pissing his pants while witnessing the unfolding chaos. He was a coward. A spineless background character unlike his prestigious parents: a rock star and a hostess.

Unlike them, he was a nobody…

And nobodies… should disappear.

* * *

_~ MISHINA'S MIND ~_

The world went stagnant.

Time stopped flowing. Everyone else was frozen in place except him and… a dark reflection of himself.

Standing up, the wimpy bluenette approached the figure. "W-w-what is this…?"

The reflection scowled at him. "This… is the collective unconscious. And I… am your Shadow."

The boy stood back a few steps. "Me…? But I'm right here…" He screamed when the Shadow pounced in front of him. "Don't you get it? I'm your suppressed desires; I know your wants, your needs and your deepest wishes!"

He violently shoved his real self to the ground. "What do you want!?" Shadow Mishina pulled his weak self's collar, glaring at him intensely. "I want you to grow a spine, you brat! Your cowardice makes you weak, and I am deeply ashamed of myself for giving up!"

"Y-you're right…" Mishina confessed. "I've always been envious of others' achievements when I'm stuck with the position as Kamoshida's tech lackey! But what did I do!? **NOTHING!** I'm a fraud and a wimp and-"

A pair of reassuring hands patted the teary boy's shoulders. "I'm glad you finally understand. Now that you have accepted yourself, it is time to free you from the chains of control."

Azure flames began to engulf Shadow Mishina. Before he turned to ash, he spoke the infamous phrase. "I am thou, thou art I… Although we are invisible, we shall find our place in this world!"

"I-I am thou, thou art I… Although we are invisible, we shall find our place in this world!"

* * *

_~ GYM, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH, 2033 ~_

Ren Toudou was getting the beating of his lifetime. Compared to the times where slightly stronger humans would get the drop on him, Grant Whelman was actually doing serious harm to him.

As the killer grabbed the boy by his collar, he wore a psycho smile on his heavily bruised face. "I'll see to it that you… DIE!"

Getting repeatedly stabbed in the abdomen is pretty nasty for any human or vampire. He can heal or recover from most internal injuries, but it takes blood and concentration to mend the wounds. And it's quite hard to concentrate when you're being choked midair.

As he endured each hit, {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s glassy mask cracked alongside Ren's battered face. The more injured his face, the more visible is the dark mannequin's true face. The others swore they could have seen holes of bleeding red but they too, were dizzy and disoriented on the floor.

When Whelman stopped beating the poor man, his mechanical half charged its fist with another Madara-Megido, blue energy building up in its steampunk fist at an alarming rate.

Ryuji could only watch in horror as they were in Kamoshida's palace beforehand.

"R-ren…!"

The dhampir closed his eyes, preparing to meet Lord Molag Bal in the frosty realms of Coldharbour…

* * *

" **WEAKLINGS HAVE NO PLACE IN MY REALM!"**

* * *

A blurring object strapped itself onto the assassin's face, knocking him back from the weakened Ren.

The object revealed itself to be a mask with straps inscribed with arcane symbols he's never seen before. "What the-" The man felt all of his mana being sucked out of him like what the Sword of a Thousand Truths did to the infamous Jenkins back in World of Warcraft.

{KODAMA} reemerged from the Sea of Souls, healing the rest of his allies with a playful Media spell. "Sleepy time's over, friends!"

As soon as the not-cat woke up, his Wild Card companion ran towards him to check his wounds. "C'mon, Mona, don't you die on me…!"

The not-cat quickly woke up as his fur had regrown all over his burnt patches. "Feed me more tuna, Lady Ann…"

A bulging vein appeared on Ren's head. Irritated, he slaps the feline back into the realm of the living. The not-cat, surprised and shocked, scratched the dhampir's arm before realizing the situation they were in.

"W-what just… Where's Lady-" He saw Grant Whelman struggling with the mysterious mask. "Right, Whelman."

Finally able to rip off the stupid mask off, Grant Whelman's face looked like someone who had forsaken their makeup for over a week, dried their faces in a pot of oil and rubbed their faces on a floor of mud.

Our antagonist touched his face urgently. He could feel cracks of skin falling apart as he did. "N-no… _NO!_ "

In a moment of silence, the beauty fanatic fell down on his knees, with tears of immense sorrow leaking from his eyes. That heartbreak quickly became unrivaled fury when he turned to face the disgusted gang of misfits.

"I spent 10 FUCKING HOURS just to get the makeup right… and you punks ruined it! Now how am I gonna face my fellow Shinjuku creatures in this state!? That's it, you gimpy wimps; I'M GOING TO TURN YOUR FACES _BEAUTY PRODUCTS_!"

"We'll name it FACESPLATTER!" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} and {ELIGOR}'s steed kindly replied with a dual drop/hoof kick.

Not giving up the charade, the ruined assassin threw another stack of nails directly at the dhampir. Taking advantage of his thoughtless actions, Toudou quickly teleported the nails with his pitch black coat.

The nails reemerged from behind their owner's back, piercing straight into his flesh.

Whelman screamed in pain, forcing his Standsonas to counterattack with a Maragi. Just as everyone was about to become Thanksgiving dinner, {INUGAMI} swooped in and devoured the sea of flames with a powerful vacuum.

"Vengeance for master!" The ferocious poltergeist shouted.

A powerful Agilao erupted from the hound's cursed mouth. Grant Whelman, in his delusional obsession with control, tried to dash head-on to counter it.

Out of nowhere, a purple beam managed to hit the side of Whelman's head. "AGGRO!"

Suddenly, a wave of insulting sentences best not written here drilled into the man's skull. He was now imbued with immense anger and couldn't concentrate on anything but future bloodshed. However, that rage had made him defenseless against the powerful ball of Agilao thrown at him.

The impact bypassed his fire resistances completely and took Whelman entirely off guard.

**TECHNICAL!**

"{INUGAMI}, you sly dog!" Ryuji rubbed his fur with immense pride. "Me did good, yes!?"

"All of you did good back there; now we pounce!"

{BLACK OOZE} and {ONMORAKI} appeared behind Morgana's back. "KILL!"

Joining his comrades Mona and Skull into the chaotic fray, a canvas of blood and savage attacks littered the entire gym.

Ren swifty landed like an expert acrobat. He then bent himself backwards and spread his arms outwards, screaming like a maniac.

"WRYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

**THE SHOW'S OVER!**

* * *

Grant Whelman laid on the floor battered and beaten. His limbs have been snapped in two and blood was leaking out of his every end.

"I think we overdid it a little," Ryuji muttered with a little guilt. "and what's with the mask?"

"Mask look tasty…" A glutinous {BLACK OOZE} muttered.

Said mask detached itself and stood up with its straps. "Greetings, allies!"

"What the fuck?"

"I-is it over?" A tired Mishina yelled out, causing everyone to glance at him. "Uh, sorry for stealing your kill…"

"I'm… not… dead-"

"Screw stealin' kills; that's your Standsonas!?" The surprised blonde pointed at the walking Doctor Doom mask. Mishina awkwardly smiled and said, "That? I'm actually not sure."

"Silly me! I am thou, thou art I, remember?" The joyful mask hopped onto its user's forehead and sang loudly. "I am {INVISIBLE} - Yuuki Mishina's suppressed enthusiasm and inner nerd given form!"

"No wonder he's hot-blooded!" {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} complimented.

"The energy in that thing could sing me a song of treasure all day long!" {KEELHAULED} joined in.

"Guys, that's enough! We need to do something with Whelman here!" A solitary feline shouted at the thieves and currently confused bluenette. "Wait, the cat can talk!?"

"I AM NOT A CAT!" Morgana corrected.

"You're right, he's not a cat." The dhampir added. "He's a touchy cat!"

While the gang of teenages (and cat) were arguing, they didn't notice their former opponent standing up with his switchblade. Slowly limping towards them, he was about to perform a lunging backstab with the help of his trusty {PANIC ROOM}.

He cared little about his surroundings, his injuries nor his relationships. No one gets away with beating the shit out of the Great Grant-

SHIV!

Grant Whelman - homosexual assassin and client of Kamoshida - had sealed his own fate the moment he forgot about a nail on the floor.

The pungent smell of blood leaking out warned our protagonist and his companions of their enemy's fate. Each of them (excluding Mishina) cracked their bones to give the man a proper pounding.

"I'mma gonna enjoy wearin' down the knuckles on these gloves…"

"Dude, don't make it weird…" The Chariot felt uncomfortable from the supposed innuendo. Rolling his eyes, Ren just sighed, "Ignoring what I just said, now…"

The Toudou inheritor cackles sadistically at the downed Whelman, wearing a cheshire grin with rows of sharp augmented teeth. Grabbing him by the hair, Ren presented to him his slasher smile. "Let's get down to business."

"Don't kill him!" Mishina yelled out. "W-we'd be the same as them!"

The thieves laughed. "We only murder in self-defense; not that we were given the choice of mercy in our past encounters. Sometimes, you've got to sacrifice one or few things for you and your loved ones' prosperity."

"Now that that's out of the bag, it's time for Thievery 101: Now that you have a Standsona, you're part of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts now! As a group of stylish outcasts, we steal the desires of callous figures in power to reform society as a whole!" Morgana flipped a cat pose while he explained.

"We punish those who abuse their power…"

"To follow our righteous justice!"

"We crush their rotten hearts with glee…"

"Then hoist our mighty crimson flag!"

"We, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, WILL TAKE THE WORLD!"

Each thief posed fabulously at the sweating bluenette. It's an unspoken rule to ensure that a Phantom Thief attains maximum fabulousness. Failure to comply will result in a large-scale involuntary make-up session.

"And we'll be stealing Kamoshida's heart! After we're done with the calling card, of course."

"Let's hope this monkey doesn't mess our grand debut!" Morgana jeered at his frenemy.

"What was that!?"

Before the two iconic members could start a brawl, their vampiric leader patted their backs. "Don't we have an assassin to get rid of?"

"Oh yeah… Sorry, we forgot. Let's do this!"

"D-do what?"

"A beatdown of a lifetime, kid!" {INVISIBLE}'s straps morphed into many pairs of cartoonish fists. "Can't give him the chance to get the drop on us again!"

"D-don't you dare!-"

"Too late, motherfucker! LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOO!"

A flurry of fists and spells began smashing Whelman over his broken body. He couldn't even scream thanks to his broken jaw and ruptured vocal cords.

"AND FOR A FINISHING TOUCH… **ELEMENTAL BALL BREAKER!** "

{SMOOTH CRIMINAL}, {KEELHAULED}, {CAT SCRATCH FEVER} and {INVISIBLE} all launched a powerful blast of electric, curse, wind and almighty magic, each of them combining into a gigantic fireball, exploding at the man's crotch and sending his unconscious body back against the fake wall.

The impact was so powerful, {PANIC ROOM}'s mechanical limbs grew visibly cracked and rusted. Its spiky fisticuffs have completely shattered into nothingness; the human face it wore also cracked open to reveal a head-shaped concentration of featureless fire.

In a few seconds, it vanished completely.

The thieves cheered for their inevitable victory. A few seconds later, they groaned at finding a way to escape this pocket dimension.

"Right, we should try the entrance-"

The fake gym began to collapse. A powerful vacuum from the entrance was sucking in everyone and their belongings out of its collapsing interior.

Everyone screamed as the fabric of reality had become unstable in the room.

" OH MY GOD I'M COMING DOOOOOOOOOOWN…!"

* * *

_~ SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH, 2033 ~_

The door 'vomited out' a group of bruised up teenages alongside an adult beaten to a near catatopnic state.

As the boys began to get up, they groaned exhaustedly. "Ugh, my beautiful head…"

"So this is what drugs feel like…" The sound of a woman screaming alerted his situation. "We need to go; we're making a scene." The Toudou suggested.

"Y-yeah, let's do that!"

"Hang on, buddies!"

The thieves sank into the shadows undetected, ignoring a brief siren of a police car arriving at the area.

* * *

_~ TSAESCI RETREAT, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH, 2033 ~_

Yanking Grant Whelman's wallet and ditching the creepy photo off his body, the Phantom Thieves escaped via {SMOOTH CRIMINAL}'s teleportation abilities. The dhampir protagonist had already drained enough blood from his friends' wrists to fully heal his scars.

In order to restore all that lost iron, the gang decided to eat after healing up their wounds with over 20 Dia spells and mana-restoring drinks, separately cast by Ren and Morgana. They were fatigued from their recent fight, after all.

Their destination was the _Tsaesci Retreat_ \- the world's only and last multinational Akaviri-cultured restaurant chain. The prices there were expensive enough to clear out the assassin's small paycheck of 30,000 yen. Were they really that insignificant to them?

As Morgana healed them one by one, the food had arrived. On the table was a five-person meal consisting of Tsaecian egg rolls, Wrasse broth and red bean paste for dessert. Also, Vingalmo (in his human disguise) was eating there when he saw them with their injuries. Another subtle healing spell should do the trick.

After listening to the whole story about the Metaverse, Kamoshida's heart and Grant Whelman's involvement, the haughty elf sighed like a single father. "So you inexperienced ruffians got an assassination order on your backs for intruding your gym teacher's perverted mind? This teacher must really despise you, having to go such far lengths…"

"Yeah, so that's the whole story." Ren muttered.

"And these… manifestations of your egos… Can I see them?" Vingalmo curiously requested. A fellow student in the arcane arts is always hungry for knowledge!

"Right here!"

{INVISIBLE} was dangling on Mishina's forehead, anticipating the delicious-looking food from the Asian ancestral line. "Can you hear my magnificent voice, my knife-eared acquaintance?"

"I can hear you, and as a reminder for your future welfare, I would refrain from calling me a 'knife-ear' if I were you, _mask_." Vingalmo growled as Mishina paled.

Morgana and Ryuji were surprised. "H-how can you see him!?"

A subtle smile formed on Vingalmo's face. "Alteration magic, familiar. Now enough talk; it is time to eat."

The not-cat was impatient to know more, but he quickly forgot about it when Ren fed him his Wrasse broth.

* * *

_~ SHIBUYA, AFTERNOON, THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH, 2033 ~_

The gang of teenagers walked out to the streets after filling their stomachs with Akaviri delicacies. Even though the elven vampire was disappointed with the makeshift flavors, he only complained for a brief moment.

"Aw man, I gotta go there more often!" Ryuji burped. His other self laughed with immense joy. "Ye, cabin boy! That meal be fresher than kraken roast!"

"B for effort, and that is final."

"At least they tried. Even if you old relics find it alien," {SMOOTH CRIMINAL} shrugged, much to the elf's ire. "it's till good grub."

"They got the paste's sweetness just right… Maybe next time, we can invite Takamaki as well. Hook her up with Sakamoto here as well." Mishina casually spoke. Ryuji's crimson outburst made him plug his ears. "W-WHAT!? The only thing she likes is crepes and modelling with a full stomach!"

"You know a lot about the female, do you not?" Vingalmo taunted with a shit-eating grin. "That only reveals how valuable she is to you."

"I do like her… I do! But it's just…" His trusty dhampir partner hugged Ryuji's shoulders. "Have confidence, Ryuji; you're just a loud kid with a huge brain."

"And a small brain!" The black feline added.

"You know what? I'm too tired to be offended by that. Anyways… I gotta finish the calling card…"

Mishina interrupted him, "But you're still injured!"

"Kamoshita sent us assassins. **REAL. PROFESSIONAL. ASSASSINS!** We only survived out of sheer luck and you know that!" The blonde grabbed the timid boy's shoulders and shook them violently. To earn the ire of a volleyball coach who had connections to dangerous Standsona users is no small task.

Massaging his forehead, the Volkihar prince sighed. "Alright then; we meet again at Vingalmobile tomorrow. The streets aren't safe anymore…"

"A wise decision, fledgling." Vingalmo hopped onto his van. "We are heading home. I shall drop you all off once as a favor for protecting this idiot's life."

Ren impishly sticked his tongue out at his elven parent. As the van drove off, Vingalmo wonders what had he done to deserve this…

* * *

_~ ROOFTOP, SHIBUYA, LUNCH, FRIDAY, APRIL 20TH, 2033 ~_

The boys (yes, Mishina is here) have gathered together for a final meeting regarding Kamoshida's Palace. Everyone's wounds from yesterday have mostly faded, allowing them to ignore the wicked eyes of the school.

"HE DID WHAT!?" A furious Ann Takamaki shouted after they talked about the unfolding events from yesterday's skirmish: Grant Whelman's abrupt entrance, his Standsona {PANIC ROOM} and Mishina's interference in their business.

"We shall hang his entrails on the walls of this school to teach everyone an example!" {TAKE IT OFF} violently suggested.

The rest were creeped out by Ann's raw anger given form. Mishina gently muttered, "I prefer more… hygienic options."

The black bust could only scoff at her human teammate's suggestion. "Fine. What about your injuries, then?"

The rest of the boys awkwardly scratched their heads.. "Don't worry about us. RenRen healed his scars with our blood, Mona had a small burn mark on the back and I only got a small concussion in the back of my head." Ryuji reassured his quarter-American friend.

"You were hurt, you moron! Stop making me worry about you guys!"

The boys casually sighed as their leader silenced them all. "Enough about us; we still have a Palace to clear. Ryuji, is the card ready?"

Ryuji nodded. "Yeah. I'll get {KEELHAULED} to post copies of it all over the school."

"Brilliant work! Now that sinful Kamoshida can't possibly ignore this!" A prideful Morgana spoke.

"It's time to make him pay!" Mishina yelled out.

Everyone gathered their hands together, shouting their slogan intensely.

" **PHANTOM THIEVES… ROLL OUT!"**

* * *

_~ P.E. OFFICE, SHUJIN ACADEMY, SHIBUYA, AFTER SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 20TH, 2033 ~_

**"GRANT WHELMAN LOST!?"**

Kamoshida was ABSOLUTELY LIVID. He's usually far more composed in the public, pretending as a caring coach who does his best to improve the school's reputation… Deep down, he's just another pedophile with his head up in the clouds.

Ever since the half-breed vampire delinquent transferred here, weird things have been happening to him. He nearly fainted when he was waiting for _them_ during the first day. The volleyball rally competition got postponed after a demonic incident occurred _after_ he had met that piece of trash.

And now his personal assassin's in a coma.

"I'm sorry, but if this keeps going on, we're going to hit Rock Bottom!"

Knock, knock!

"This isn't over," Kamoshida ended his call. "Come in!"

It was the student council president Makoto Sanada - teacher's pet star student - carrying a pile of disorganized papers. "May I… ask you a few questions?"

"Sure, sure. Anything for the student council president," As the girl sat down, the gym teacher sat on his seat with a creepy grin. "So what's this about?"

"Well… the rumor network these days have been bothering me a little. Trends usually die down after a while, but ever since the transfer student arrived, it's become unbearable!"

Kamoshida held back a tsk. "How are these baseless rumors bothering you, exactly?"

Makoto gulped uncomfortably. "There's a very infamous one about you… They claim you are physically abusing the volleyball team."

The teacher lowered his face to hers. "Do you believe them?"

"No," Sanada spoke as calmly as she could. Let's hope the doubts don't burst out of the shell…

Witnessing the unfazed president, Kamoshida sighed and lectured the girl, "I don't care about rumors; you should take a break for tonight. Can't let the rumors get to that big brain of yours, eh?"

Smiling, Makoto stood up. "Goodbye."

Without even turning back, the student council president had left, leaving a scheming Kamoshida to wonder about his future plans.

_'I'll make a nice doll out of her…!'_

As he maliciously conjured dirty thoughts in his sexually deprived mind, the nearby crows flocked away simultaneously, as if waiting for the man to become their next meal…

* * *

_~ STANDSONA INFO ~_

_{PANIC ROOM}_

_APPEARANCE:_ _{PANIC ROOM} is a humanoid Standsona with a robotic appearance. Excluding its user-resembling face, the other parts look entirely mechanical with exposed bars grasping onto their legs._ _It has a c_ _rash test dummy symbol embedded on middle of its_ _armored, lead-lined shoulders decorated chest with skeletal ornaments._ _It wears a pair of round-ended fisticuffs fused to its artificial knuckles._ _The feet are indifferent in comparison to a human android._

_TRAIT: Caged Bird -_ _When low on health, spell damage is increased by 50%._

_POWERS:_ _When {PANIC ROOM} touches an entrance to an enclosed area with at least 2 pairs of walls and a roof, it can create a pocket dimension that is incredibly similar to the original room. The only things it cannot duplicate are sentient lifeforms. It traps its victims inside said room until the user is unconscious or allows them to leave. Time flows slowly in the pocket dimension. Anything copied from the room ceases to exist if a new pocket dimension is formed. In contrast to this, anything not from the room will be violently ejected outside via entrance. I_ _t can release pressurized steam from its joints. Said fog is visible to everyone and small concentrations can heavily hinder a person's eyesight. The smoke dissipates instantly when the user is unconscious._

_Thanks to the growing tides of the Sea of Souls, Shadows can now cast all kinds of spells on their own, without needing to draw mana from a greater being. They used the human psyche to grant themselves strengths and weaknesses to magic. However, they are sometimes incredibly random and nonsensical; in comparison to the lore their figures were based on._

_{PANIC ROOM} is immune to Fire magic and has no elemental weaknesses._

_STATS:_

_Power: C_

_Speed: D_

_Range: E_

_Durability: C_

_Precision: C_

_Potential: C_

* * *

_{INVISIBLE}_

_APPEARANCE:_ _{INVISIBLE} is a mask with only eye sockets cut off of it._ _Its appearance is colored in cyan reflective glass with Greek patterns painted all over it._ _Its overall appearance is based off of Victor Von Doom's iconic metal mask._

_TRAIT: Tripping My Feet - Technical damage dealt by allies increased by 25%._

_P_ _OWERS:_ _{INVISIBLE}'s main ability is the suppression of senses. The victim's ability to detect is moderately dampened the closer they are to the user. This effect can only target one individual but is 100% accurate._ _The mask's surface dispels any form of magic upon impact. When thrown at an enemy, they will become incapable of using magic for the duration_ _The inscribed straps on {INVISIBLE} are capable of attaching to other beings to drain any energy available on them, whether it's life force, stamina or worse, soul essence._

_Thanks to the growing tides of the Sea of Souls, Shadows can now cast all kinds of spells on their own, without needing to draw mana from a greater being. They used the human psyche to grant themselves strengths and weaknesses to magic. However, they are sometimes incredibly random and non-sensical; in comparison to the lore their figures were based on._

_{INVISIBLE} has no resistances nor weaknesses to any element._

_STATS:_

_Power: E_

_Speed: E_

_Range: D_

_Durability: A_

_Precision: A_

_Potential: C_

_SKILLS:_ _Taunt,_ _Megido_

* * *

_~ REN'S ARSENAL ~_

_{ONMORAKI}_

_NULLS: Curse_

_RESISTS: Fire_

_WEAK TO: Ice, Bless_

_TRAIT: Degenerate Sutra - Debuff spells cast on enemies last an extra turn._

_SKILLS: Eiha, Ice Wall_

* * *

_{INUGAMI}_

_NULLS: Gun, Fire, Curse_

_WEAK TO: Wind_

_TRAIT: Vengeance - Resistances now Repel instead._

_SKILLS: Pulinpa, Tarukaja, Giant Slice_

* * *

_{BLACK OOZE}_

_NULLS: Curse_

_RESISTS: Physical, Gun, Ice_

_WEAK TO: Electric, Psychic, Bless_

_TRAIT: Pungent Smell - Status ailments are more accurate and deal more damage._

_SKILLS: Sledgehammer, Evil Touch, Stagnant Air_

* * *

_{KODAMA}_

_RESISTS: Ice_

_WEAK TO: Fire_

_TRAIT: Forest Guide - Elemental spells deal 10% more damage._

_SKILLS: Garu, Rakunda, Media_

* * *

_{ELIGOR}_

_RESISTS: Fire, Curse_

_WEAK TO: Electric_

_TRAIT: Ruthless Tactician - Downed foes take 50% more damage._

_SKILLS: Maragi, Sharp Student, Tarukaja, Terror Claw_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On official hiatus. University stuff to deal with, so ciao!


End file.
